Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Uber’s flying taxis in Dubai by 2020

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Uber recently announced that it is set to launch Uber Elevate, a fleet of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) flying cars that will be used to transport passengers within cities. The company has partnered with the Dubai government aiming to conduct passenger flights during Expo 2020 Dubai.

Commuters will have access to this fleet of flying cars through the UberAir app, and can benefit from this fast and reliable innovation in the transporta­tion industry, according to foreign news agency reports.

Manufactur­ed in close partnershi­p with Aurora Flight Science, Pipistrel Aircraft, Embraer, Mooney, and Bell Helicopter, Uber Elevate is poised to be more cost-effective and efficient. In true science fiction form, the innovation is set to come to life in a matter of three years, and is a positive move towards easing traffic in urban areas. VTOLs are designed to be a more sustainabl­e form of transporta­tion, as they run on electric propulsion sys- tems and do not produce operationa­l emissions.

“What started as a simple question ‘why can’t I push a button and get a ride?’ has turned, for Uber, into a passionate pursuit of the pinnacle of urban mobility – the reduction of congestion and pollution in transport, giving people their time back, freeing up real estate dedicated to parking and providing access to mobility in all corners of a city," said Uber Chief Product Officer Jeff Holden. "Urban aviation is a natural next step for Uber in this pursuit, which is why we are working to make push a button, get a flight a reality."

 ??  ?? Drawing of a flying taxi
Drawing of a flying taxi

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