Uber to take to the skies with 'flying cars'

[spaminator]

Uber to take to the skies with 'flying cars'
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First posted: Tuesday, April 25, 2017 05:27 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, April 25, 2017 05:49 PM EDT
NEW YORK — Uber is taking to the skies with its next project — “flying cars” — even as all eyes are on its problems on the ground.
On Tuesday, the embattled ride-hailing company announced plans for an on-demand network of electric aircraft that can take off and land vertically, like a helicopter. It wants to test a network for such vehicles by 2020.
The company says its partners in this Elevate initiative include real estate companies, aircraft manufacturers, electric vehicle charger makers and the cities of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
Uber’s Jeff Holden says urban aviation “is a natural next step for Uber.”
Uber has been reeling from executive departures and accusations of sexual harassment at its workplace. Results of an internal investigation are expected in May.
The electric VTOL aircraft on-demand urban transportation vehicle concept is shown during the live-stream of the Uber Elevate summit on April 25, 2017. (Video screenshot)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlKuGhtNYlM
Uber to take to the skies with 'flying cars' | News | Tech | Toronto Sun

 

[Jinentonix]

The technology is there. Hell, the only reason airlines have crews on the flight deck is because passengers would probably freak out when they discovered they boarded a pilot-less aircraft. An Airbus a360 pilot was saying that all you need someone on the flight deck for is to input the destination coords and babysit the instrument panel. The a/c can take-off, cruise and land all without any human input from the controls.

 

[Bar Sinister]

Great nothing like a sky filled with conventional aircraft, drones and flying cars.

 

[Jinentonix]

Great nothing like a sky filled with conventional aircraft, drones and flying cars.

Well, in Canada with the current drone regulations it's pretty much impossible to legally operate a drone within a populated area right now. And a flying car wouldn't be much different than all the helicopter traffic already flying in the cities. Flying cars could even potentially replace helicopters for short hops within a city.

 

[mentalfloss]

Hopefully their new CEO isn't a complete a-hole and they do it right.