Dubai residents will soon be able to find air taxis alongside their cars on the Uber app as the city prepares to launch an all-electric air ride service later this year. The move will enable passengers to book flights as easily as they book standard itineraries, marking a shift towards integrated ground and air transportation within a single platform.The new feature, called Uber Air, will appear within the existing app interface. The user will enter their destination as usual. If the journey qualifies for the air option, the app will display air taxi options as well as regular transportation services. Once selected, the system will manage the entire trip with one booking. This includes limousine transfers to the departure point, the flight itself, and ground transportation to the final destination.The aircraft is fully electric and can accommodate up to four passengers. Each flight will be operated by a certified commercial pilot. The cabin interior is equipped with comfortable seats and large windows, offering expansive views of the city skyline from every seat.From a technical perspective, the aircraft relies on six tilting propellers. These allow for vertical takeoff and landing before transitioning to forward flight. Air taxis can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour and can travel 100 miles on a single charge.Engineers customized the aircraft for the urban environment. It uses multiple layers of system redundancy to enhance security measures. Its acoustic design is also designed to blend with typical urban background noise, rather than contrast with it.Passenger services in Dubai are expected to launch later this year. This development represents a major step towards an intermodal transport system where passengers can seamlessly switch between road and air travel in one booking process.The plan builds on years of planning focused on integrating air transportation into daily commutes. The goal is to create a transportation network where switching between ground vehicles and aircraft becomes a routine matter rather than an exception.
