Uber unveils first looks at flying taxi, Uber Air

RESTRICTIONS: Broadcast: NO USE JAPAN, NO USE TAIWAN Digital: NO USE JAPAN, NO USE TAIWAN
On Tuesday the ridesharing company for the first time offered a look at the inside of its aviation product, Uber Air.

On its website, Uber says Uber Air is envisioned as a zero-emission electric air vehicle service, available at the push of a button and created by the company in a bid to ease road congestion.

According to the Verge, the interior was designed in partnership with French aerospace company Safran.

Four passenger seats are turned outwards to the window in rows of two. Behind the second row is room for storing passenger luggage.

The craft is illuminated in blue light and, according to Forbes, it has seats upholstered in aerospace-grade 'ultra leather,' a tough, low-friction material for passengers to easily slide in and out of.

According to Forbes, initially, the designers had envisioned a cabin more fitting to the customer's needs with charging points, cupholders, and digital screens. But Ian Scoley, a vice president at Safran's design studio, told Forbes: 'We realized for an 8-minute flight, that's all irrelevant.'

Uber states on its website that it aims to demonstrate flights in 2020 and for the service to become commercially available in 2023.

Dallas and Los Angeles will be the first places to offer this service commercially, with Melbourne being the first city outside of the U.S. to host trails.

RUNDOWN SHOWS:
1. Uber Air vehicle benefits explained using pullouts
2. Uber Air interior shown and explained
3. Designers discussing Uber Air design process
4. Uber Air flies over city

VOICEOVER (in English):
"On Tuesday the ridesharing company for the first time offered a look at the inside of its aviation product, Uber Air."

"On its website Uber says Uber Air is envisioned as a zero-emission electric air vehicle service, available at the push of a button and created by the company in a bid to ease road congestion."

"According to the Verge, the interior was designed in partnership with French aerospace company Safran."

"Four passenger seats are turned outwards to the window in rows of two. Behind the second row is room for storing passenger luggage."

"The craft is illuminated in blue light and, according to Forbes, it has seats upholstered in aerospace-grade 'ultra leather,' a tough, low-friction material for passengers to easily slide in and out of."

"According to Forbes, initially the designers had envisioned a cabin more fitting to the customer's needs with charging points, cupholders and digital screens. But Ian Scoley, a vice president at Safran's design studio, told Forbes: 'We realized for an 8-minute flight, that's all irrelevant.'"

"Uber states on its website that it aims to demonstrate flights in 2020 and for the service to become commercially available in 2023."

"Dallas and Los Angeles will be the first places to offer this service commercially, with Melbourne being the first city outside of the U.S. to host trails."

SOURCES: FORBES, THE VERGE, UBER, THE GUARDIAN

***
----------------------------------------­­---------------------------------------­-­----------------

Next Animation Studio’s News Direct service provides daily, high-quality, informative 3D news animations that fill in for missing footage and help viewers understand breaking news stories or in-depth features on science, technology, and health.

To subscribe to News Direct or for more info, please visit: