Uber has come out with some industry shaking news regarding the future of metropolitan transportation. The San Fransisco based company is now researching ways to transport passengers by sky rather than by land. This news comes only a week after Uber launched self-driving cars in two major U.S. cities. The rapid growth from a 2009 startup to an international powerhouse has led many to question where the company will go next.
Today thanks to Jeff Holden, Uber’s head of products, we have an answer. During talks at the Nantucket Conference Holden stated that they were investigating the use of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) craft as a future means of transportation. The company is looking into VTOL craft so they “can someday offer our customers as many options as possible to move around.”
The international ride hailing company has made no secret of it’s end-goal which is to eliminate the need for private cars. By exploring VTOL craft Uber is stepping closer to that goal. Holden went on to detail that he expected to see VTOL craft used by Uber within the next decade. A long way off at the moment but exciting nonetheless.
Vehicles capable of vertical take-off and landing could drastically cut down on commute times. They would be able to land on any flat surface, like a driveway, for a true ‘doorstep pickup’. Further, VTOL craft eliminate the time wasted crawling through downtown traffic and at traffic lights.
Uber’s road to the sky wont be an easy one however. VTOL craft will be fighting for increasingly crowded airspace with other big names like Amazon and Google. Amazon plans to offer delivery by automated drones as soon as regulatory approval is granted.
The fight for air delivery is one that will drastically change our day-to-day life. Once a safe method of automated air travel and drone delivery is approved we can expect adoption by a wide range of businesses. Drones won’t only be used by e-commerce sites, they will help drop off our groceries, quickly deliver our medication, serve as our taxis, and bring by our late night snacks. In the near future – the next time you want a Big Mac at 2am you can expect it to be delivered by an automated drone courier.