Uber is serious about flying cars – so much so that the ride-hailing firm hired Mark Moore, senior research engineer of 30 years to NASA’s Langley Research Center. Uber’s flying car vision, called Uber Elevate, will start with Moore tackling basic technological hurdles that make flying cars possible.
According to Bloomberg, Moore’s 2010 research in Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) was the brainchild that prompted Google’s co-founder, Larry Page, to create two startups for developing flying car technology last year. Uber’s hiring decision will see Moore solving some flying car technology issues besides electric VTOL – such as noise pollution, vehicle efficiency and limited battery life. An actual flying car? Not so soon. However:
“I can’t think of another company in a stronger position to be the leader for this new ecosystem and make the urban electric VTOL market real." - Mark Moore.
According to the Uber Elevate white paper, VTOL in cars can circumvent space restraint. It also removes the need for fixed routes, and the use of electric propulsion allows for zero operational emissions. Uber’s vision also includes “vertiports" – a sci-fi public transport system that uses hovering vehicles for commuting.
According to Ars Technica, Uber said that they see themselves playing their part in developing VTOL, starting with their new space engineer who will be working with their current partners.
Source: Ars Technica, Bloomberg, Uber
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