The NASA and Uber scheme has been dubbed Urban Air Mobility or UAM. The US space agency hopes to introduce a “new future for city transport” through the development of flying personal vehicles. Under Urban Air Mobility, NASA’s engineers will test and develop systems of low altitude flight control.
Abby Tabor, from NASA’s Ames Research Center, said: “A new future for city transport is in the works at NASA – a future where both people and packages will take to the air.
“And this week, the agency is working with partner company Uber to evaluate certain things we already know and others we still need to invent to manage this expected new air traffic.
“The goal, known as Urban Air Mobility or UAM, is a safe and efficient air transportation system where everything from small package-delivery drones to passenger-carrying air taxis operate over populated areas – from small towns to largest cities.”
The technology is now under development at NASA’s Ames and Langley Research Centers.
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NASA’s Ames sits in the heart of the US Silicon Valley in California.
San Francisco-based Uber has joined the ride by developing an “urban aviation rideshare network”.
The main concern is how many flying cars, delivery drones and even larger vehicles will safely occupy the skies.
Without physical roads and lanes running above our cities, flying cars will need to rely on computers to keep safe distances between each other.
NASA said on Thursday, October 3, its Ames and Langley Research Centers were running tests that week to determine what data is needed for flying cars to safely cohabit in city airspace.
A future where both people and packages will take to the air
Abby Tabor, NASA Ames Research Center
Ms Tabor said: “The teams at Ames and Uber will connect their computer systems and run through different scenarios UAM operators could encounter.”
One test, for instance, focused on scheduling different flights before take-off.
Another test focused on coordinating the various elements of an emergency landing scenario.
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The news comes after NASA received its first all-electric aircraft, the X-57.
The experimental aircraft has ditched traditional combustion engines in favour of environmentally-friendly electric cruise motors.
Development of the X-57 and similar aircraft could help NASA further its flying car ambitions.
In September, South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai also joined the UAM initiative by hiring NASA’s Dr Jaiwon Shin to lead its UAM division.
Dr Shin formerly led NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
In May 2018, he said: “The convergence of technologies and new business models enabled by the digital revolution, is making it possible to explore this new way for people to move within our cities.”
NASA engineer Davis Hackenberg added: “Now, our goals are to help and enable as much as possible what we like to think of as an entire ecosystem when it comes to Urban Air Mobility.
“We’re looking at best ways to do this and learning a lot as we go.”
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