FLYING cars summoned with a smartphone could be zipping through the skies above Melbourne within five years.
Victoria’s capital is locked in a battle with Sydney and other world cities to become the first international test bed for the flying vehicles.
Uber executives are meeting Australian politicians, transport authorities and property developers this week about its “flying car” project.
They have even identified possible routes for Uber aircraft they said would slash travel times between Melbourne airport and the city centre to “about five minutes”.
If Melbourne is selected, the Jetsons-style mode of transport could be tested as soon as 2020. And passengers might be able to share short, cheap flights to destinations by 2023.
Los Angeles and Dallas last year became the first two locations to test Uber’s ambitious urban air transport project. But Uber revealed it was also looking for a city outside the US to trial UberAir before the service is rolled out widely.
Uber aviation product head Nikhil Goel said the company had identified Melbourne and Sydney as promising candidates, owing to their population density, proximity to airports, and traffic congestion.
“Both cities are set to double in the next 30 years,” Mr Goel said. “And in congestion costs, both Sydneysiders and Melburnians spend a massive amount of time (in traffic).”
Mr Goel and aviation engineering director Mark Moore will meet transport ministers, regulators, real estate developers, banks, and firms including Qantas, this week to gauge interest. If it proceeds, Uber would work with local developers to build up to 25 “Skyports” in and around the winning city.
Travellers would request an UberAir ride using a smartphone app, catch an Uber car to a Skyport, an UberAir across the city, and another Uber car from the landing Skyport.
Uber’s aircraft would carry four passengers and a qualified pilot. Designed to be quieter and more efficient than helicopters, they would be custom-made electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicles.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has said it would work with companies to “meet challenges” of urban flights.
Mr Moore said “extensive economic modelling” showed that by 2025, the cost would be “similar to UberX”, but it would be more costly before a large network of Skyports and 50-plus aircraft were set up.
Uber is due to announce the successful candidate before the end of the year. But Mr Moore said Australia already had a lead in one criteria: “One thing I’m loving is the weather here. In terms of visual flight moves, compared to London and Munich, I vote for Australia.”
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