Results for: Uber

Joby Aviation Acquires Uber Elevate, Receives Airworthiness Approval from U.S Military

13 December 2020 || 4 min read

After recently coming out of stealth mode, Santa-Cruz based Joby Aviation has purchased Uber Elevate (Uber’s air taxi hailing initiative), and received airworthiness certification from the U.S military, all in just one week of announcements. For years, Joby Aviation existed on the eVTOL market, but little news was released on the eVTOL aircraft and its creator company. Then in January...

Joby Aviation Acquires Uber Elevate, Receives Airworthiness Approval from U.S Military

13 December 2020 || 4 min read

Joby Aviation’s full-scale production-ready prototype in flight

For years, Joby Aviation existed on the eVTOL market, but little news was released on the eVTOL aircraft and its creator company. Then in January of this year, Joby announced $590 million in funding, partly from Toyota Corp. Now, the company has raised almost $1 Billion, and has made industry history by becoming the first company to receive air worthiness certification from the U.S military. Although the air worthiness certificate from the military is not certification to carry civilians or cargo commercially, it gives a significant stamp of safety approval on the aircraft, and may fast track its journey to certification by the FAA. With this certificate, the Joby Aviation eVTOL can now provide transportation of both personal and cargo for the U.S armed forces. This will give Joby the opportunity to further prove the safety and functionality of its electric aircraft, and make any necessary improvements before receiving FAA certification. The certification was mainly pushed by Agility Prime, a branch of the U.S air force that has been collaborating with partners in the eVTOL industry to help enable this new flight technology for the United States both for commercial and military applications.

In a landslide move, Joby Aviation has also acquired Uber Elevate, which is Uber’s initiative to make a network of on-demand air taxi transportation in major cities throughout the globe. Under the terms of the agreement, Uber as a company will remain a part of the partnership and the final overall product. What has been transferred to Joby is the groundwork Uber has laid to create air taxi networks in cities like Melbourne in Australia, and Dallas and Los Angeles in the United States. The end product will integrate both Uber’s ground transportation app and Joby’s air transportation app to provide a seamless travel experience for passengers. To grow this partnership, Uber has invested an additional $75 million in Joby Aviation, as well as a previously undisclosed $50 million made in January.

Why it’s important: While Joby Aviation remained secretive for much of its existence, the company is now leading the market for eVTOL aircraft in the United States. Uber Elevate was the world’s largest focused effort to make eVTOL available commercially, bringing together stakeholders in local and state governments, and real estate and technology companies around the world. With these resources now available to Joby, its path to market will be significantly expedited. Additionally, airworthiness certification from the U.S military will give Joby access to both direct and indirect funding, allow it to even more greatly prove safety during service for military operations, and help it bridge the gap into FAA certification for commercial operations. With these moves, Joby places itself at the front of the market for eVTOL within the U.S, and among the top companies in the world globally.

Joby Aviation in Talks to Purchase Uber Elevate

04 December 2020 || 3 min read

Multiple sources are reporting the California-based eVTOL startup, Joby Aviation, is negotiating a potential buyout for Uber’s air taxi unit, Uber Elevate. This breaking news would significantly alter the landscape of aerial mobility as Uber, one of the early influencers in the space looks to sell off its stake. Uber has been well known for its white papers, market surveys,...

Joby Aviation in Talks to Purchase Uber Elevate

04 December 2020 || 3 min read

Uber has been well known for its white papers, market surveys, and partnerships with academic institutions and eVTOL manufacturers to begin planning its entry in the aerial mobility industry across a wide variety of fields such as: infrastructure, certification, air traffic control, and product development. The company also hosts the annual Elevate Summit which has forged lasting partnerships and buzz around the industry.

The company is likely selling off Uber Elevate in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Uber reported nearly a $3B USD loss in Q2 of 2020 and Uber CEO, Dara Khosrowshahiwill, announced the company will be positioning itself to focus on profitability. Uber reported to Axios earlier this year of interest in offloading its Elevate unit, and recently Joby Aviation has been reported as the frontrunner for a potential deal.

Based in Santa Cruz, Joby Aviation has previously formed partnerships with Uber and has raised over $700M in investments from bluechip companies including Toyota, Intel, and JetBlue.

Spokespersons from both Uber and Joby have not provided public comments on the potential deal.

Why it matters: Joby’s potential acquisition of Uber Elevate would mark a significant turning point in the aerial mobility space. Throughout most of aerial mobility’s growth, Uber has been a vocal proponent of eVTOL technology. The company has advocated for critical industry partnerships, development of infrastructure, and the regulatory buy-in necessary in order to support the new industry. Joby Aviation has been quiet in recent media, but it is well-known that the company is quickly readying for commercial production. Additionally, Joby Aviation has had great success in attracting top-tier investors as well as a successful Series C round of funding. Expect to see more news as details of this acquisition become public.

Source // Axios

Uber Elevate Chooses GE Aviation to Develop Flight Data Monitoring Requirements

01 November 2020 || 3 min read

GE Aviation, a long time leader in flight electronics, has been chosen by Uber Elevate to help develop the data monitoring requirements for its upcoming fleet of shared mobility air taxis. As Uber has mentioned, these aircraft will be developed by Boeing, Bell, EmbraerX, Hyundai, Jaunt Air Mobility, Joby Aviation, Overair, and Pipistrel. Uber aims to launch its aerial mobility ride...

Uber Elevate Chooses GE Aviation to Develop Flight Data Monitoring Requirements

01 November 2020 || 3 min read

Rendering of the Uber Elevate aircraft concept model

Uber aims to launch its aerial mobility ride sharing services, called Uber Air, in 2023. In order to do so, the company is developing a flight data monitoring (FDM) program to outline key flight statistics that must be recorded and reported to Uber by all aircraft, including information like airspeed, altitude profiles, and general performance outputs program for its aircraft. Combined with other statistics, this program will aid in ensuring aircraft safety by identifying outlying data that may indicate the need for changes in flight operations.

First introduced in the commercial airline industry over 20 years ago, FDM programs are integral to safety management systems, and have been widely credited with helping to reduce the air transportation sector’s accident rate. According to GE Aviation, its FDM solutions have been adopted by hundreds of airlines and business jet operators around the world, with its patented analytics software used to identify safety events and measurements on thousands of flights every day. The company said its experience working with some of the world’s largest flight data benchmarking programs made its partnership with Uber Elevate a natural fit.

Visualization of DEP (Distributed Electric Propulsion) technology that will be used in Uber Air aircraft

Why it’s important: With this significant partnership announcement, Uber Elevate has taken one important step closer to making its vision of urban aerial mobility networks a reality. The company has been careful with its partnerships by selecting only the most reputable hardware and software developers in the aerospace industry, including former NASA employees for their experience with flight dynamics software development. GE Aviation brings to the table a set of good practices and software reliability for ensuring safety in Uber’s new kinds of aircraft. Initial cities for Uber Air have been announced as Los Angeles, Dallas, and Melbourne.

Uber and SK Telecom Agree to Form Joint Venture in Korea

16 October 2020 || 3 min read

Uber Technologies and South Korean telecommunications company SK Telecom have agreed to form a joint venture for a specialized mobility business that will be spun off from SK Telecom. The new business will both support current on-demand ground transportation operations in tandem with planning future aerial mobility services. SK Telecom stated that its board had approved the creation of this...

Uber and SK Telecom Agree to Form Joint Venture in Korea

16 October 2020 || 3 min read

SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho stated that his company’s goal with T Map Mobility is to “usher in a new era of future mobility technologies, including flying vehicles.” T Map is South Korea’s largest mobility platform with around 13 million monthly active users, and the company plans to use data from these operations to help design aerial mobility infrastructure.

Rendering of the EmbraerX eVTOL, a partner to the Uber Elevate project

SK Telecom stated that T Map Mobility would leverage 5G, artificial intelligence and T Map capabilities to offer optimal route planning, 3-D high definition mapping for high-altitude geographic features, and intelligent air traffic control systems for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. SK Telecom is a member of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Team Korea, a public-private consultative body launched in June to commercialize drone taxis by 2025.

Why it’s important: Leveraging South Korea’s most popular mobility platform, this joint venture between SK Telecom and Uber will accelerate the development of ride share services in South Korea on the ground to eventually transition to the air. By combining these businesses, the venture will provide an “all-in-one” mobility service that will utilizing existing ground transportation networks to grow into eventual aerial mobility services. By establishing this partnership, SK Telecom, Uber, and South Korea are laying down groundwork for air mobility in a major and systemic way.

Source // Aju Business Daily

Cuberg’s Next-Gen Battery Technology May Unlock Electric Aviation

24 June 2020 || 5 min read

Cuberg, a startup battery company based in Emeryville, California, has verified the performance of its cell-level battery – 369 Watt-hours per kilogram at a discharge rate of C/20. This was verified in testing at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), with Cuberg cells demonstrating a specific power of 2,000 Watts per kilogram. Cuberg’s announcement highlighted an exceptional combination of specific energy, specific...

Cuberg’s Next-Gen Battery Technology May Unlock Electric Aviation

24 June 2020 || 5 min read

C Rate is the charge and discharge rate for a battery. Note the differing duration of a battery’s ability to provide a given amperage. Credit // Sustainable Skies

Electric motors manage to extract 85 to 97 percent of the energy contained in the battery, resulting in a 10:1 ratio of fuel energy density between gas engines and electric motors, respectively.

Cuberg’s announcement highlighted an exceptional combination of specific energy, specific power, and cycle life in an independent testing and verification process conducted on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy. The results, including up to 80% increase in specific energy relative to Li-ion cells of comparable high-power output, represent a major step forward in the performance and maturity of battery technology for the future of electric mobility. Online publication Sustainable Skies has analyzed Cuberg’s results in detail, and the provided charts can be found in their full writeup “Cuberg Batteries – Some Real Numbers“.

While the global market for batteries to power electric mobility is expected to reach $300B per year by 2030¹, increasing power demands are driving Li-ion battery technology to its physical limits on performance and safety. Cuberg’s batteries, based on its breakthrough lithium metal technology, are optimally designed for successful commercialization. The batteries deliver greatly increased range and capacity with competitive cost of ownership under realistic operating conditions. In addition, Cuberg’s batteries use a non-flammable proprietary electrolyte that provides substantial safety advantages over Li-ion batteries.

Critically, Cuberg has achieved these industry-leading results in a pouch cell using technology that capitalizes on the scale and quality of the existing Li-ion manufacturing ecosystem. These strengths will ultimately allow Cuberg to bring next-gen batteries to the automotive market, delivering significant improvements in range and cost while preserving the substantial deployed capital base of Li-ion manufacturing.

Cuberg CEO Richard Wang

“Cuberg’s mission is to deliver next-gen batteries to power the rise of electric mobility, and an essential part of our strategy is to achieve independent verification and transparency of our results,” said Richard Wang, co-founder and CEO of Cuberg. “We are gratified to receive this verification by INL of the industry-leading performance and reliability of our technology, and excited to be working with our customers to begin full-scale flight testing in their aircrafts in the next year.”

Three key battery performance measures need to be optimized in balance for successful aviation commercialization: specific energy, which allows for longer flight times and ranges at a given weight; specific power output, which enables greater aircraft weights and payload capacity; and cycle life, which impacts cost of ownership. INL’s testing on Cuberg’s 5-Ah (amp-hour) battery cells indicated specific energy of 369 Wh/kg, specific power of 2,000 W/kg, and 370 cycles with C/2 charging before the cells reached end of life at an 80% capacity cut-off. Batteries providing in excess of 350 Wh/kg of specific energy represent a critical threshold for the electric aviation market. Cuberg is the first company to successfully combine this level of energy with high power and competitive cycle life under realistic operating conditions. Full testing results can be seen here.

Why it’s important: As emphasized by Liangbing Hu, the Herbert Rabin Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Materials Innovation, Materials Science, and Engineering at the University of Maryland, “the delivery of highly efficient, cost-effective and safe battery technology at scale is essential to enable the future of electric mobility. Passing the 350 Wh/kg threshold under realistic operating conditions is an important advancement and an impressive achievement.” Cuberg’s announcement represents a major milestone in the advancement of battery performance and maturity for the future of electrified aerial mobility.

Related:

Sources // Cuberg Press Release; Sustainable Skies

Uber Expects Piloted eVTOLs Before Autonomous Drone Deliveries

02 February 2020 || 3 min read

Due to the increased regulatory requirements involving autonomous flight, Mark Moore, Uber’s engineering director for aircraft systems, says he expects piloted eVTOL aircraft before autonomous drone package deliveries. “[Aerial mobility] with pilots will happen way before you will get anything delivered in your backyard,” Moore explained at Heli-Expo in Anaheim, California on 29 January. “Autonomous flight is really hard. Having...

Uber Expects Piloted eVTOLs Before Autonomous Drone Deliveries

02 February 2020 || 3 min read

While several companies are planning to release aerial rideshare services, there aren’t many that plan to start off with autonomous services. Uber itself is currently partnering with eight eVTOL aircraft manufacturers, and plans to launch its aerial ridesharing networks in Dallas, Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia by 2023 under the name of Uber Elevate. While Uber touched on the possibility of autonomous flight, for now, nothing is announced. However, Uber remains ambitious in their plan to incorporate eVTOL technology into their ridesharing services. Just recently, Uber announced partnerships with both Hyundai and Joby Aviation in an ongoing effort to polish up their aerial rideshare service by 2023.

Uber, Wing, and UPS have also begun limited tests of using delivery drones in the US. “We are already doing small package delivery for Uber Eats – it’s all about the critical path to enabling it,” said Moore, ”Fully autonomous flight is really hard, and needs an evolution to happen.” The FAA and other regulatory agencies are in the process of establishing rules and best practices for unmanned aerial vehicles. Similar tests are being conducted or are planned in other countries as well, including Switzerland and Japan.

Why it’s important: Moore makes a strong point, especially as several other eVTOL aircraft manufacturers are beginning to introduce autonomous flight control technology into their products. While autonomous flight could potentially protect against human error and enable a wider array of missions in difficult flying conditions, the manufacturers and the FAA must first reach an accord to establish a uniform set of safety standards in the US.

Source // FlightGlobal

Hyundai Partners with Uber Elevate, Reveals New Air Taxi Concept

07 January 2020 || 5 min read

In a partnership with automotive manufacturer Hyundai, Uber Elevate has released an updated version of its air taxi concept, and has begun plans for large-scale manufacturing. In a major move for both companies, Uber Elevate has partnered with Hyundai with the intention of mass-producing air taxis for its eVTOL network. Other Uber partners so far include Boeing, Bell, EmbraerX, Karem...

Hyundai Partners with Uber Elevate, Reveals New Air Taxi Concept

07 January 2020 || 5 min read

In a partnership with automotive manufacturer Hyundai, Uber Elevate has released an updated version of its air taxi concept, and has begun plans for large-scale manufacturing.

In a major move for both companies, Uber Elevate has partnered with Hyundai with the intention of mass-producing air taxis for its eVTOL network. Other Uber partners so far include Boeing, Bell, EmbraerX, Karem Aircraft, Pipistrel, Jaunt Air Mobility, and Joby Aviation.

Elevate has selected Hyundai for its experience in mass-producing innovative electric vehicles within the auto industry. While other aircraft partners (listed above) have provided excellent designs, none of them have produced vehicles on the same scale as Hyundai. As Uber notes within its original white paper, mass-production of eVTOL aircraft will be key in making air taxi services affordable to the general public. EEnlisting Hyundai marks the next step in that journey.

Together, Uber and Hyundai have created the next generation of Uber’s own concept model, which was originally created in collaboration with former NASA employee Mark Moore. The newest aircraft removes two lift rotors that were originally flush with the tail, and moves them to sit behind each of the front forward thrust rotors. It also adds an inverted rotor underneath each of the wing top lift rotors, giving them an extra layer of propulsion.

The newest design will follow NASA’s historical approach of publicly releasing engineering blueprints and concepts applied, in order to help all players within the industry develop more advanced aircraft. In particular, the newest aircraft focuses on the key aspects of noise reduction, wing design, and overall aerodynamics.

Under the current model unveiled at CES, the vehicle would have a cruising speed of 180mph with an electric range of 60 miles, carrying four passengers plus a pilot, and requiring only five to seven minutes to charge.

To an extent, this newest development may help answer the question of how much Uber’s partners will work together in creating their individual aircraft. Important key engineering concepts will likely be shared among partners, leveraging combined knowledge to give the industry itself an extra boost. Similarly, Hyundai is likely to share its wide-scale manufacturing capabilities with Uber’s partners, giving them extra potential.

Said Jaiwon Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Division:

““We expect UAM to vitalize urban communities and provide more quality time to people. We are confident that Uber Elevate is the right partner to make this innovative product readily available to as many customers as possible.”

Why it’s important: The collaboration of such massive transportation industry players as Uber and Hyundai along with the other experienced aviation industry partners will exponentially increase potential for the “vibrant air taxi network” Uber Elevate hopes to establish in the coming years. Combining Uber’s logistics and technology expertise with Hyundai’s manufacturing capabilities and other partners’ aircraft design experience could create the winning combination Uber is hoping for, making the newest partnership an excellent move for Elevate.

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Joby Aviation, Uber Air Partner to Launch Air Taxi Service by 2023

22 December 2019 || 4 min read

Joby is the first company to commit to Uber’s 2023 launch of its air taxi service. Rideshare group Uber and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation have announced a partnership to launch urban air-taxi services in selected locations from 2023. California-based Joby Aviation has become the first of seven partner companies in Uber’s Elevate urban air...

Joby Aviation, Uber Air Partner to Launch Air Taxi Service by 2023

22 December 2019 || 4 min read

Joby is the first company to commit to Uber’s 2023 launch of its air taxi service.

Rideshare group Uber and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation have announced a partnership to launch urban air-taxi services in selected locations from 2023. California-based Joby Aviation has become the first of seven partner companies in Uber’s Elevate urban air mobility initiative to commit to a timetable for launching operations. The other companies are Bell, Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, Embraer, Pipistrel, Karem Aircraft, and Jaunt Air Mobility. Uber has named Dallas, Los Angeles, and Melbourne as prospective launch cities, but the logistics of deploying its air taxi fleet remain underdeveloped.

Image result for joby aviation the verge

A mockup of Joby Aviation’s S4 eVTOL aircraft prototype.

Joby is developing a four-seat eVTOL aircraft called the S4 and appears to have plans for a larger S5 model. The covert aircraft development team has mentioned a complete full-scale prototype of the S4, but otherwise has kept plans for certification and manufacturing expansion under wraps. The few publicized renderings show a plane-drone hybrid with 12 rotors and room in the cabin for four passengers, though a spokesperson previously cautioned that what Joby is working on now is “entirely new.” The company has yet to provide any recent photographs or images of its prototype aircraft; however, all public information about Joby’s developments are can be found in the TransportUP Hangar.

Joby is the brainchild of inventor JoeBen Bevirt, who started the company in 2009. The company operated in relative obscurity until 2018, when Joby announced it had raised a surprising $100 million from a variety of investors, including the venture capital arms of Intel, Toyota, and JetBlue. The money helped finance development of the company’s air taxi prototype, which has been conducting test flights at Joby’s private airfield in Northern California.

JoeBen Bevirt had the following to say about the partnership:

We’re excited to partner with Uber. By bringing our next-generation aircraft and urban flight operations to Uber’s on-demand ground mobility network, we aim to get people to their destinations five-times faster than driving, reduce urban congestion and accelerate the shift to sustainable modes of transit.

Photo // Joby Aviation

Why it’s important: While Uber has performed considerable research and development on its own eVTOL prototype for the future air taxi service, it will ultimately rely on the consistent manufacturing technologies of a specialized airframer to provide and maintain vehicles. The demands of operating a transportation service are far greater than would allow for a single company to simultaneously develop its own aviation technologies. Therefore, Joby Aviation is slated to fill this important role, and has committed to support the aggressive timetable of a 2023 launch.

Source // AINOnline; The Verge

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NASA + Uber Aerial Mobility Testing Continues

01 December 2019 || 4 min read

Uber and NASA are collaborating to simulate the future of eVTOL ridesharing services. According to NASA, the end goal of the collaboration with Uber is a safe and efficient air transportation system where everything from small package-delivery drones to passenger-carrying air taxis operate over populated areas – from small towns to the largest cities. Researchers at NASA’s Ames and Langley...

NASA + Uber Aerial Mobility Testing Continues

01 December 2019 || 4 min read

Uber and NASA are collaborating to simulate the future of eVTOL ridesharing services.

According to NASA, the end goal of the collaboration with Uber is a safe and efficient air transportation system where everything from small package-delivery drones to passenger-carrying air taxis operate over populated areas – from small towns to the largest cities.

Credit // NASA

Researchers at NASA’s Ames and Langley Research Centers are developing technologies for UAM airspace management to make large-scale operations possible. Researchers at Ames have already studied, designed and tested technologies that could soon be used for drone airspace management, even in complex urban landscapes.

In this partnership, Uber is sharing its plans for implementing an aerial mobility eVTOL rideshare network. NASA meanwhile, as America’s aeronautics research agency, is using the latest in airspace management computer modeling and data collection to assess the impacts of small aircraft in crowded environments, and begin designing management systems.

A series of collaborative meetings between NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Air Traffic and NextGen organizations, and Uber, are currently ongoing at NASA Ames Research Center. The focus of these meetings is to discuss near- and mid-term UAM procedures and identify top priorities in development and regulation. In fact, the Air Traffic Management Exploration (ATM-X) project’s Increasing Diverse Operations (IDO) subproject recently led a discussion on long term research needs for new entrants into the National Airspace System (NAS).

Savita Verma demonstrates X2 to FAA and Uber visitors in the UAM lab.

Demonstration of X2 to FAA and Uber visitors. Credit // NASA

An engineering evaluation called “X2” saw the NASA Air Traffic Management Exploration (ATM-X) Urban Air Mobility (UAM) team collaborate with Uber Elevate to run a complete simulation of eVTOL flights over Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. The NASA team demonstrated the X2 simulation’s use cases such as a live connection to Uber’s simulation facilities and virtual flights. The series of 40-minute test scenarios was reported to be a success, and further simulations are already being planned..

Why it’s important: Simulating eVTOL air traffic over Dallas is a key part of beginning Uber’s aerial ridesharing services planned to begin as early as 2023. Through sophisticated simulations, Uber and NASA will allow involved parties to understand and successfully plan the management of airspace. Uber plans to conduct demonstration flights in Dallas in 2020.

Source // NASA, Uber

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Uber Eats Unveils New Delivery Drone Design

03 November 2019 || 4 min read

Uber Elevate has officially unveiled a new VTOL drone designed for Uber Eats deliveries. The new Uber Eats drone was designed by Uber Elevate with speed in mind. To “increase speed and efficiency”, Elevate chose to use a rotating wing design. This means that the rotors will initially point upwards on take-off, lifting the drone into the air and then...

Uber Eats Unveils New Delivery Drone Design

03 November 2019 || 4 min read

Uber Elevate has officially unveiled a new VTOL drone designed for Uber Eats deliveries.

The new Uber Eats drone was designed by Uber Elevate with speed in mind. To “increase speed and efficiency”, Elevate chose to use a rotating wing design. This means that the rotors will initially point upwards on take-off, lifting the drone into the air and then tilting into the horizontal flight position seen above. The drone itself can carry enough capacity for about two meals, with a range of about 18 miles.

This new design is remarkably similar to the concept model drawn up by Uber Elevate for its future air taxis. Like the new drone, the model also utilizes the tilt-rotor design, using the same rotors for both vertical take-off and horizontal flight.

Uber Elevate’s concept design for air taxis. This design also features tilting rotors with a fixed wing for efficiency. Uber will work with partners such as Bell, EmbraerX, Boeing, and more.

Elevate plans to begin drone food deliveries in San Diego in Summer of 2020, having already applied for FAA approval to complete commercial flights there. The company already completed delivery tests in San Diego early last summer in partnership with McDonalds.

Food delivery by drone will be operated through Elevate’s ‘Cloud System’, which will eventually be responsible for managing passenger air taxis. Testing the Cloud System through drone deliveries, as well as through Uber’s new Uber Copter service, will allow Uber to begin laying the ground work for the coming future passenger aircraft.

Many other companies have initiated drone delivery efforts as well. Earlier this month, UPS became the first to receive full part 135 certification as a commercial air carrier using drones. Prior to this, Alphabet company Wing received a similar certification, although for a smaller area. Amazon too recently entered the industry with a new hexagonal drone design, hoping to even futher lower package delivery times. And just this week, aerial mobility company Volocopter unveiled a new drone designed for heavier cargo.

Why it’s important: Ultimately, beginning work on aerial mobility through food delivery by drone will help enable the future of Uber Elevate’s eVTOL air taxi vision. The important strides being taken throughout the drone delivery industry will provide important technologies and frameworks for the operation of the coming eVTOL passenger aircraft.

Sources: Forbes, Wired, The Verge.

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Uber Air Stands Up First Flying Taxi Test Site

20 September 2019 || 4 min read

Frisco, Texas is the home of Uber’s first test site for its eVTOL aircraft. Dallas has long been in Uber’s plans as one of the launch cities for its urban air mobility (UAM) initiative, and the company has recently completed the construction of a helipad site at Frisco Station near The Star and along the Dallas North Tollway. An important feature...

Uber Air Stands Up First Flying Taxi Test Site

20 September 2019 || 4 min read

Frisco, Texas is the home of Uber’s first test site for its eVTOL aircraft.

Dallas has long been in Uber’s plans as one of the launch cities for its urban air mobility (UAM) initiative, and the company has recently completed the construction of a helipad site at Frisco Station near The Star and along the Dallas North Tollway. An important feature of the helipad is its strategic location, which will reportedly enable passengers to access the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport in as little as seven minutes by way of Uber’s service. Concurrently, Uber is looking to expand its autonomous car ride-share service to the Dallas area, and plans to begin mapping routes in November to make the technology possible.

Frisco’s growing corporate scene may also have been a deciding factor in Uber’s selection for the company’s first aerial mobility test site. The helipad may not be limited to testing, however; it could also become a permanent location for Uber’s next verti-port. While a vehicle or fleet of vehicles have not yet been decided, Uber remains constant in its plan to begin offering the aerial mobility ride-share service to the public in 2023.

In fact, Uber continues to search for aircraft manufacturer partnerships. At Farnborough’s inaugural Global Urban Air Summit (GUAS) earlier this month, the company welcomed eVTOL aircraft developers to propose vehicle designs for its Uber Air ride-share air-taxi service. In the meantime, Uber has already announced partnerships with six OEMs – Aurora Flight Sciences, Bell, EmbraerX, Karem Aircraft, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, and Jaunt Air Mobility – with Jaunt being the most recent addition.

Just recently, Uber has also provided details on bringing air taxi services to Melbourne. As announced earlier this year, Melbourne will be the third official city in the company’s pilot program – the first two being Los Angeles and Dallas – and the first of its kind outside of the United States. Uber has begun to collect data on how people move about the city and which routes they would most likely take. This information will help gauge demand and initial route offerings for their pilot program.

Why it’s important: Uber continues to make headway in the development of its aerial ride-share program, Uber Air, via both infrastructural and technological advancements. The company remains primarily focused on the operations of the service, and looks to emerging industry experts for eVTOL aircraft collaborations.

Source // WFAA News

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Uber Provides Details on its Air Pilot Program in Melbourne

10 September 2019 || 4 min read

Uber has provided details on bringing air taxi services to Melbourne. Announced earlier this year, Melbourne will be the third official city in the company’s pilot program and the first of its kind outside of the United States. Uber has begun to collect data on how people move about the city and which routes they would most likely take. This information...

Uber Provides Details on its Air Pilot Program in Melbourne

10 September 2019 || 4 min read

Uber has provided details on bringing air taxi services to Melbourne.

Announced earlier this year, Melbourne will be the third official city in the company’s pilot program and the first of its kind outside of the United States. Uber has begun to collect data on how people move about the city and which routes they would most likely take. This information will help gauge demand and initial route offerings for their pilot program.

Melbourne will be Uber’s first international host city of the company’s air pilot program. Source: Uber

Although the ultimate vision for urban mobility in the city is to have autonomous vehicles, Uber will operate piloted 4-passenger aircraft. The company is currently working with vehicle manufacturers including: Aurora Flight Sciences, Pipistrel, Embraer, Bell, Karem and Jaunt.

Under the direction of Natalie Malligan, head of cities for Australia and New Zealand at Uber, her team has partnered with Scentre Group and Melbourne Airport to flesh out the operation and impact of urban air mobility in the city. They envision being able to take air taxis from the city center to the airport in as little as 10 minutes for the cost of a comparable Uber Black fare (~$73 USD).

Aurora Flight Science’s PAV prototype undergoing flight tests. Source: Aurora Flight Sciences

“You won’t have to think so much about modes, but when you want to go from A to B you put it into the app and it will tell you there is a car three minutes away or a bike 50 meters from you, then you can get an Uber Air to a skyport at a train station and you can book and pay for everything through the app,” she said.

Additionally, Uber has received overwhelming support from Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) which vows to offer the company a federal regulatory license to operate in the country, opening the potential for inter-city travel on air taxi services.

“We are supportive of emerging aviation technology, with Australia having been a world leader in the safety regulation of drones,” A CASA spokesperson said.

Why it matters: Uber is beginning to plant itself in cities outside of the United States, signaling a global demand for urban air mobility. The service will ultimately offer a new mode of transportation for quick trips between the city center and other nearby destinations. Further, CASA’s strong relationship with Uber will help lead the way to quicker public acceptance and recognition from other international aviation regulatory agencies.

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Uber Looks to Expand eVTOL Ride-share Partners at GUAS 2019

07 September 2019 || 4 min read

Uber welcomes eVTOL aircraft developers to partner in its Uber Air ride-share air-taxi service. The company has already selected six partners, but at this week’s Global Urban Air Summit (GUAS) at Farnborough International, Uber said more could be added. According to Uber’s Advanced Technology Research Center Director, François Sillion, “we don’t think any one company will win and there could...

Uber Looks to Expand eVTOL Ride-share Partners at GUAS 2019

07 September 2019 || 4 min read

Uber welcomes eVTOL aircraft developers to partner in its Uber Air ride-share air-taxi service.

The company has already selected six partners, but at this week’s Global Urban Air Summit (GUAS) at Farnborough International, Uber said more could be added. According to Uber’s Advanced Technology Research Center Director, François Sillion, “we don’t think any one company will win and there could be more than one aircraft on our platform.” The companies that currently have working partnerships with Uber include Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, Bell, EmbraerX, Karem Aircraft, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, and Jaunt Air Mobility, and they all have a shared goal – to develop a feasibly integrable aircraft for Uber’s air taxi service, predicted to launch in 2023. According to a press release from Aviation International News, another U.S. based eVTOL manufacturer plans to sign an agreement with Uber, thereby expanding the list of partners.

In addition to the previously announced launch cities, Sillion explained that Uber is actively planning to launch services in U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Dallas, and New York. Dallas may be a frontrunner due to city council members recently approving an economic incentive package which includes $746,000 from a tax abatement over a five year period and up to $8.6M in economic grants. Though, “this won’t be mass transportation, but it won’t just be for the rich either,” Sillion explained at the Global Urban Air Summit. “There will be thousands of flights carrying around 10,000 people each day in the urban areas we will serve.”

In discussion with city governments, Uber is also developing networks of “Skylines” to help determine which route is optimum at any given time for a specific flight, based on factors such as air traffic density, terrain and “community acceptance” issues, such as noise. This new technology will be integrated with the company’s future “SkyPorts” which are not just landing pads for eVTOLs, but are designed to enable seamless transportation in major cities. As such, each SkyPort is connected with public transit, has parking and charging for Uber Jump bikes & scooters, and has areas for easily connecting with Uber cars (one day to be autonomous).

Why it’s important: The Global Urban Air Summit provided a stage for Uber and over 100 other eVTOL industry players to create and unveil new partnerships over the two-day conference from September 3rd-4th. The technological and logistical progress Uber continues to make in the development of its air-taxi service is demonstrative of overall UAM industry success as it increases total market share by adding partners.

Sources // Uber; Aviation International News

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Uber’s Potential Expansion to Dallas Receives Tax Break

15 August 2019 || 4 min read

This week, new details emerged about Uber’s plan to potentially bring 3,000 jobs to the Dallas area by 2025 (2,500 by 2023). Dallas city council members approved an economic incentive package which includes $746,000 from a tax abatement over a five year period and up to $8.6M in economic grants. Uber’s $110M investment would make Dallas the company’s largest employment...

Uber’s Potential Expansion to Dallas Receives Tax Break

15 August 2019 || 4 min read

Potential office location for Uber at The Epic in Dallas’ Deep Ellum neighborhood. Source: Dallas Business Journal

“Uber is evaluating adding a significant number of jobs in Dallas and investing directly in the community,” said company spokesman Travis Considine. “Our team is currently discussing the opportunity with state and local leaders, and we hope to make a decision by the fall.” Mayor Eric Johnson says the company’s move to Dallas would create several high paying jobs for the local economy.

The Dallas City Council just approved a competitive economic incentive package and @CityofDallas will hopefully soon be welcoming @Uber to our city. Uber's expansion in Dallas will bring thousands of high-paying jobs & a $110 million investment to our city. Excited for Dallas!

— Mayor Eric Johnson (@DallasMayor) August 14, 2019

Uber’s relationship with the city has been public knowledge for some time. It became a focus market for Uber at its 2017 Elevate conference with the goal of beginning demonstrator flights in 2020 and commercial operations in 2023. It has developed partnerships with Hillwood Properties to build vertiports around the city and with Bell Helicopter’s Nexus hybrid-electric air taxi, among others. More recently, the company has received multiple concept designs from architectural firms like Gensler’s CitySpace below. These flexible spaces provide cities with the infrastructure needed to support air taxi services while still offering modern retail/commercial space.

Render of Gensler’s CitySpace, Credit: Gensler

While Uber has not formally announced its plan to accept the package, Dallas’ low cost of real estate and living make the city an attractive option. Uber plans to make a decision by this fall.

Why it matters: All eyes will be on Dallas for the roll-out of large scale urban air mobility (UAM) markets in the United States. The sprawling metropolis is ripe for taking advantage of the value proposition UAM offers. Between its low cost of land, local investment in infrastructure, and local governments willingness to work with Uber, the city seems to be ripe for building out America’s first UAM city.

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Uber Elevate Partner Karem Aircraft Raises $25 Million in Series A Round

18 July 2019 || 4 min read

Karem Aircraft has raised $25 million in its Series A to develop the Butterfly Air Taxi. Selected by Uber last year for the UberAIR Initiative, Karem’s new venture is entirely focused on bringing its air taxi to market as soon as possible. The latest funding round was led by Korean defense technology company Hanwha Systems, which recently placed a $25...

Uber Elevate Partner Karem Aircraft Raises $25 Million in Series A Round

18 July 2019 || 4 min read

Karem Aircraft has raised $25 million in its Series A to develop the Butterfly Air Taxi. Selected by Uber last year for the UberAIR Initiative, Karem’s new venture is entirely focused on bringing its air taxi to market as soon as possible.

Karem Aircraft’s Butterfly

The latest funding round was led by Korean defense technology company Hanwha Systems, which recently placed a $25 million equity investment in another UAM venture as well. “Karem’s technology for making safe, quiet, and efficient air taxi vehicles excites all of us,” Uber Elevate head Eric Allison said in a statement. “Hanwha’s Series A investment in Karem’s new air taxi entity accelerates efforts to bring the Butterfly to market, and we look forward to flying riders in places like Dallas, Los Angeles, and Melbourne in the near future.”

A small scale model of the Karem Butterfly at the Uber Elevate 2019 conference in Washington D.C.

According to Uber, the UberAIR partner air taxis should be ready for testing by next year, and should be commercially available in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Melbourne, Australia by 2023. To meet this deadline, Karem Aircraft is now solely focused on developing the Butterfly, the electric quad tiltrotor specifically designed for UberAIR.

“The new company will be able to focus exclusively on bringing Butterfly to market, leveraging Karem’s optimum speed rotor technology, Hanwha’s industrial scale, and Uber’s ridesharing network,” says Ben Tigner, CEO of the new venture. “We look forward to the day when riders will be able to commute to work by flying above the traffic in one of our vehicles. Karem Aircraft will continue to serve the needs of its military customers; we are confident that each company is on a path for long-term success so that our technology can be applied in two distinct but important use cases.”

Why it’s important: Uber has placed a high priority on the development of an air taxi service in urban areas. With 2023 approaching quickly, it is very important to ensure safety, efficiency, and quality control with Uber’s intended aerial ride-share service in a timely manner. With this news of increased funding, Karem should be able to proceed with developing and testing their air tax concept.

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In a partnership with automotive manufacturer Hyundai, Uber Elevate has released an updated version of its air taxi concept, and has begun plans for large-scale manufacturing.

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Joby is the first company to commit to Uber’s 2023 launch of its air taxi service.

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Uber and NASA are collaborating to simulate the future of eVTOL ridesharing services.

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Uber Elevate has officially unveiled a new VTOL drone designed for Uber Eats deliveries.

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Frisco, Texas is the home of Uber’s first test site for its eVTOL aircraft.

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Uber has provided details on bringing air taxi services to Melbourne.

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Uber welcomes eVTOL aircraft developers to partner in its Uber Air ride-share air-taxi service.

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Karem Aircraft has raised $25 million in its Series A to develop the Butterfly Air Taxi. Selected by Uber last year for the UberAIR Initiative, Karem’s new venture is entirely focused on bringing its air taxi to market as soon as possible.

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