*By Carlo Versano* Flying taxis are closer to liftoff than you might think. Uber made headlines in 2017 by unveiling renderings of what it said would be a fleet of fully electric, VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft that would shuttle people around in the skies above cities as soon as 2023. At CES in Las Vegas, this week, a full-scale model of one flying taxi concept manufactured by Uber partner Bell was on display, and Uber wants consumers to know it's getting serious about taking to the air. Dr. Tom Prevot, a former NASA aerospace engineer who now runs the engineering division at Elevate, Uber's airspace unit, told Cheddar's Hope King that the nascent industry is reaching a point at which "a lot of things come together." Batteries that would be able to power these aircraft are in development, the turbine engines and fan rotors are quieter than ever, and the regulatory environment is beginning to come into focus, Prevot said. "This convergence will probably allow us to make this happen in a few years," he said. Since the aircraft will fly to and from fixed infrastructure ー like the roof of a parking garage ー as opposed to being able to take off or land anywhere, there are fewer logistical and regulatory hurdles, Prevot said. And because the altitude at which these things would fly, up to 2,000 feet, is a blank canvas relative to city roads, companies like Uber can work with governments to create "virtual highways" that can be adjusted to suit demand. Prevot put it succinctly: "There's a lot more space in the air." Uber and Bell announced at CES that test flights would begin next year in three cities: Dallas, Tex., Los Angeles, Calif., and an unnamed international city, while plans for piloted rides are on pace for 2023. Prevot said that while they may test flights in rural areas, the optimal use case is for crowded urban areas where congestion is already a problem ー hence the choices of L.A. and Dallas as pilot locations. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/uber-keeps-eyes-on-the-sky-with-flying-ride-plans).

Share:
More In Business
Disney content has gone dark on YouTube TV: What you need to know
Disney content has gone dark on YouTube TV, leaving subscribers of the Google-owned live streaming platform without access to major networks like ESPN and ABC. That’s because the companies have failed to reach a new licensing deal to keep Disney channels on YouTube TV. Depending on how long it lasts, the dispute could particularly impact coverage of U.S. college football matchups over the weekend — on top of other news and entertainment disruptions that have already arrived. In the meantime, YouTube TV subscribers who want to watch Disney channels could have little choice other than turning to the company’s own platforms, which come with their own price tags.
Universal Music and AI song generator Udio partner on new AI platform
Universal Music Group and AI platform Udio have settled a copyright lawsuit and will collaborate on a new music creation and streaming platform. The companies announced on Wednesday that they reached a compensatory legal settlement and new licensing agreements. These agreements aim to provide more revenue opportunities for Universal's artists and songwriters. The rise of AI song generation tools like Udio has disrupted the music streaming industry, leading to accusations from record labels. This deal marks the first since Universal and others sued Udio and Suno last year. Financial terms of the settlement weren't disclosed.
Load More