Uber Announces Uber Air, Uber air is a next-generation concept entitled under the name Elevate. It is a grid of miniature modern aircraft designed for small rides in populous regions of the country. The company has been planning a test flight of Uber Air by 2020 in Los Angeles and Dallas. They will launch the concept of flying cars for the public by the year 2023.
In the era of technology where many tech giants are involved in introducing self-driven vehicles. Uber is ready to implement Elevate.
How Uber Will Implement Uber Air?
Uber will plan to bring a group of technically progressive companies under one roof for their project Uber Air. The project vision is to decongest populous cities by bidding on aerial transit options. So the company has a firm belief in introducing agile and economical aerial rides to consumer from their project Elevate.
Uber planned to outgrow their ‘smart’ idea alongwith some capable aircraft manufracturing companies. Some agencies like NASA will contribute to expanding the idea of air taxis. Uber hasn’t yet announced the third international country where it might fly in a sky of unbounded possibilities.
The company has yet to choose one contry out of India, Japan, Australia, France and Brazil. One country will be the third international country where test flight will be conducted in year 2020. Already two city Dallas and Los Angels are selected for testing air taxi.
How will Uber Air Uproot Traffic Congestion?
Uber has planned to de-hyphenate transit from conventional transportation services which is usually constrain only to pathways. Aerial manuverability is a collective node concept of aerial transportation service. Considering the actual implementation of concept based upon the innterconnection of nodes for the Uber Air.
The company estimated urban congestion of India estimated to be around $22 billion annualy. So The inroduction of new technology will eventually allow a user to cover tough journey of hours to a relaxing journey of ten to fifteen ( 10-15 ) minutes.
Barney Harford, COO Uber confirms the next genration concept of aerodynamic transit is safe. And t a technology to rely upon. Mr Harford believes that technology is capable of evolving from administered driving to an autonomous one. The technical model has the potential to deploy many node centres leading to reduced traffic congestion.
The current model of modern transit is implemented using electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for short journeyes of around 100 km. So air taxi will fly at speed in between 150-200 mph and at a height of 1500-2000 feet.
Which Aircraft Is There For The Project?
Conventional chopper has posed limitations of noise pollution, excessive fuel costs, and unsuited for shorter rides. One of the major challenges for using the chopper for uber air is the cost of operation. The company is designing an aircraft for the project. So planning to bring experienced companies with expertise in aircraft designs.
The companies who will be contributing to this project are Embraer, Bell, Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, Pipistrel Aircraft and Karem. So The companies will come up with a sustainable prototype of an eVTOL aircraft that will suit the requirements of the company’s project. The partners will come up with a design and so the specifications by 2020.
This aircraft will be driven by the electrical battery. The aircraft will take off and land vertically and complete journey on with single charge. The aircraft will be designed with autonomous capabilities. Eric Allison, Head of Aviation Programmes, is hopeful for Uber Air. He said, that Uber Air is capable to evolve the generation transit with efforts of many capable partners for making Uber Air a reality.
How much Uber Air Will Cost?
At a technical summit, Allison furnished some details regarding the fares of Uber Air and he adds that the average cost per mile will outshine cost owing to a car. A report by AAA says, on an average, it costs $0.464 to $0.608 for an individual to travel a mile via car. Since it is a new candidate in the market of transports, so we can’t expect it to be cheap.
As The consumers grow the cost must eventually go down with the further outgrowth of technology. It will cost around $6 per mile. Uber believes the fare will fall to a cost of $1.86 per mile. Because Uber Air will settle at a firm customer base as technology grows.
Uber predicts around 700 million customers be readily available. And it will settle at a firm customer base as technology grows.
What are the major Challenges in the way of Uber Air?
Noise is a challenge for many innovations in the community of aviation. As Uber is trying to devise an aircraft that must cut down the noise by 15 decibels. The company has not yet finalised the design of aircraft which is a next generation transit service.
So The company will devise a proper engine design that is ideal to cover a distance of 100 km by electrical power. Because the battery challenge is indicating the engine design to be more hybrid.
Uber air is yet to be accepted by country administration and must persuade aviation authorities that their new product does not pose any threat to anyone in any possible manner.
Would that be the future of next-generation transit? We actually don’t know. If this becomes a reality. We surely might enter in a world where technology is accelerating at an unbelievable pace.
Leave a Reply