Uber Air Taxi Looks Just Like A Helicopter On The Inside

Uber has just put on a show to demonstrate what it wants its flying taxis to look like. The demonstration features a reference design of a vehicle at the core of its Uber Air service. The event took place at the Elevate conference, which is all about technology for flying taxis.

Many of the company’s designs bear a striking resemblance to modern helicopters, so it is not a surprise when the reference design looks exactly like one on the inside. Some people may say that the interior resembles that of SpaceX's Crew Dragon.

There is a total of four seats for passengers divided into two rows. Behind the second one is some space for luggage. Overall, the design does not look comfortable, but it is a taxi we are talking about, so the company intends to use it for short distances only.

This design was made in collaboration with Safran Cabin, and Uber wants to set a standard for eVTOL (short for “electric vertical take-off and landing”) of the whole industry. It announced that the design could be customized to fit what other firms make for Uber Air.

Uber is on the way to realize its ambition to be the leading transportation company. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that the company wanted to be the one-stop shop for commuting as well as for local commerce.

However, that is just the long-term outcome Uber wants. In the last few years, the company has gained momentum by expanding its services, Uber Air is one of them. Apart from having firms like Boeing building its vehicles, the company also has released several Skyport concepts.

Uber plans to conduct its first test flight in 2020. Three years after that, the company wants some versions of the air taxi to be out in service. Recently, it has launched its helicopter service in New York.