Uber unveils third eVTOL Common Reference Model concept for future flying taxis

LOS ANGELES. Engineers at Uber Technologies Inc. in Dallas unveiled the concept for the company’s third electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) Common Reference Model, known internally as eCRM003, during the second-annual Uber Elevate Summit in Los Angeles this week.

Mark Moore, director of engineering, aircraft systems at Uber, helped to debut Uber eCRM003. Airframe manufacturers around the world, such as Embraer with its Embraer X eVTOL aircraft, are also actively working on and debuting their own air taxi or flying taxi designs. Initial designs include a cockpit and will be flown by a pilot; the eventual goal is to implement fully autonomous vehicles in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ridesharing network in cities across the world.

Uber officials indicate that they are working with five airframe partners, to date: Aurora Flight, Bell, Embraer, Pipistrel, and Karem.

Related reading:

Uber defines Uber Elevate mission, vehicle requirements

Images: Copyright 2018 Uber Technologies Inc.