The company imagined the system would involve a network of partially-autonomous flying vehicles that can take-off and land from ‘vertiports,’ which are stations on top of existing skyscrapers.
According to the plan, ‘on-demand aviation’ has the potential to radically improve urban mobility, giving people back time lost in their daily commutes.
There will also be a network of small, electric aircraft that take off and land vertically that shall enable rapid, reliable transportation between suburbs and cities and, ultimately, within cities.
Uber highlighted the numerous hurdles urban VTOL vehicles will have to overcome, including efficiency, emissions, noise, battery life, the certification process, reliability, safety, air traffic control, and cost, details IFL Science.
While Moore is hardly going to be putting together a flying car in his first week in Uber, he’ll no doubt play a role in addressing the numerous issues raised on the concept.
It’s also unlikely the plans will hit the skies in the coming few years. However, in the long run, Uber certainly appears to have the vision, foresight, and funding to introduce a little bit of The Jetsons to one’s drunken journey home. After all, flying cars would really fast forward the world into the future and it can no longer be considered as part of the things found only in movies.