At Uber's Elevate conference, the company revealed some price targets for its upcoming vertical takeoff and landing flying taxi service:
The passenger cost per mile, [Uber Head of Elevate Eric] Allison said, needs to be competitive with the variable cost of car ownership. Car ownership, on a per mile basis, costs between $0.464 to $0.608, according to AAA.
However, uberAIR will not be cheaper on a cost per passenger mile at launch. Initially, uberAIR will cost $5.73 per passenger mile. In the near-term, Uber says it will get the cost down to $1.86 per passenger mile before ideally getting to $0.44 per passenger mile. At that point, it would actually be cheaper to use uberAIR.
uberAIR is scheduled to begin testing in 2020, with the first official passenger trip in 2023.
Additionally, Uber will collaborate with NASA and the U.S. Army on its uberAIR plans:
Under the agreement, Uber will provide NASA with details and data on its plans for a flying taxi service, which the agency will use to simulate flights over Dallas-Fort Worth. This data will address scenarios involving air traffic, collision mitigation, and air space management. It is NASA's first such agreement related to urban air mobility (UAM) specifically focused on modeling and simulation.
[...] Uber also signed an agreement with the US Army to develop and test "flying taxi" aircraft for the company's mobility service. The company will jointly develop and fund research into rotor technology with the US Army's corporate research lab.
Previously: Uber Lays Out Vision for Flying Commuter Transit
Uber Hires Veteran NASA Engineer to Develop Flying Cars
Related: An Idea That Just Might Take Off
(Score: 4, Insightful) by frojack on Thursday May 10 2018, @04:30PM (5 children)
Imagine how many they could kill from the air.
Seriously, these people need to be taken behind the barn. They have no business designing technology.
When is the arrest warrant going out for the deployment of intentionally crippled self driving software? [soylentnews.org]
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Thursday May 10 2018, @04:52PM
I applaud, and totally support, the idea that they try their tech really really far from my house.
They triggered my BS detector by giving 3-digit future prices, the fact that said price is unrealistic by aviation standards (including takeoffs/landings and vehicle costs) notwithstanding.
(Score: 4, Funny) by bart9h on Thursday May 10 2018, @06:05PM (1 child)
I have just finished making my t-shirt with a giant qrcode on the front and the back, which translate to "I AM NOT A PLASTIC BAG".
Now I can walk safely on the streets again.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Thursday May 10 2018, @08:39PM
Why not the URL for Goatse?
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Thursday May 10 2018, @07:27PM
Oh, my God!
OH, THE HUMANITY!
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 10 2018, @08:56PM
Let them start in a "dereg" state, get the kinks out there, and THEN they can bring it to our blue states. Deal?