Video: Uber Takes to the Skies
A concept drawing for Uber Elevate. Uber
Where they're going, they don't need roads.
Popular ride-hailing service Uber is currently developing its fleet of self-driving cars, but it's setting its sights on its next target: the sky.
The company recently hired a former NASA aircraft engineer to develop Uber Elevate, a program that would incorporate vertical takeoff and landing vehicles into the Uber fleet. The company wouldn't build the vehicles themselves, but rather create a flying ecosystem to get customers where they need to go, quickly. Not using transportation that relies on fixed routes drastically cuts down on commute times.
Uber isn't alone in its interest in flying cars, however. Google has also invested in the technology, and there are several other startups such as AeroMobil. But don't expect to see a Delorean zipping through the skies tomorrow—it may take up to a decade to get things off the ground.
To learn more, check out the video below from CNET:
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