PEAKLIFE

The popular ride-hailing and sharing app Uber signed a deal with NASA on Wednesday which focussed on developing flying taxis priced competitively with standard Uber journeys.

The deal between the two will have them working together to create driverless flying taxis that will transport customers across cities at 200 mph. Customers will be able to summon these flying taxis for rides in a similar manner to summoning a normal ride from Uber.

Uber plans that flying taxis will allow them to hold up to four passengers. The second round of testing for these flying cars will occur in Los Angeles in 2020. The first tests are set for Dallas, Fort Worth.

The partnership signed under NASA’S Space Act Agreement will enable Uber to develop an on-demand, app-based flying taxi service –named UberAIR.

UberAIR could transform travel in the notoriously busy cities, reducing journey time by nearly one-third. The company also partnered with aircraft manufacturers and real estate companies to develop take-off and landing sites for their flying car.

Uber said it hopes to begin flying its aerial taxis by 2020. Uber’s partnership with NASA comes in the wake of vast advances in technology aiming to transfer travel from ground to air. Other than Uber, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla  Inc has a new company digging tunnels under the city for a shuttle service that will provide transport around the city.