Uber Announces Flying Air Taxis

It's a bird. It's a plane. Is it Uber? That's right, Uber is taking their talents to the skies in this new partnership. Uber announced a new collaboration with an aviation company to launch 'Uber Air.' The service will launch later this year, first in Dubai, before going global.

The rideshare company will be partnering with Joby Aviation on this new venture. The launch will allow for the transportation of customers in Joby Aviation's "all-electric air taxis."

“We’ve long believed in the power of advanced air mobility to transform how people move through cities,” said Sachin Kansal, Chief Product Officer at Uber, in a press release. “With Uber Air, riders will be able to book Joby’s electric air taxi through a simple and familiar, one-tap experience on Uber, seamlessly connecting every leg of their journey – making ground-to-sky travel even more effortless.”

According to the press release, the companies first began working together in 2019. The new air taxi option is in hopes of further extending the relationship. Eric Allison, Chief Product Officer for Joby, says it will be a "new layer of urban transportation."

“Our focus has always been on creating a flight experience that operates quietly and integrates naturally into the rhythm of city life,” Allison says in a press release. “By partnering with Uber, we’re making this new mode of transportation familiar and accessible, connecting the ground and the sky through a system designed to save people time and fit seamlessly into how they already move."

The air taxis will be flown by certified commercial pilots and designed to accommodate up to four passengers. Luggage will also be allowed on board, but further details are still to come.

The launch will take place in Dubai later this year as their first starting point. After the launch, the company expects to expand to New York, Los Angeles, Japan, and the United Kingdom.