Uber already offers riders a variety of vehicle options to choose from, but the rideshare giant has more than just ground-based modes of transportation in mind for the future — including getting you to your destination via air. Uber’s head of product Jeff Holden announced on Wednesday that the it has plans to launch its aerial taxi service in Los Angeles by 2020. The new service its called UberAir , and plans are already in the works to launch similar operations in Dallas and Dubai. Effectively, Uber customers will be able to request an UberAir ride, go to the nearest launchpad on a rooftop and hop in a small electric plane with propellers that allow the aircraft to take off and fly like a helicopter. Uber released a promotional video of how it envisions the service working: “Technology will allow LA residents to literally fly over the city’s historically bad traffic, giving them...

An aviation renaissance, one focused on energy efficiency and economic impact, is on the horizon, and it’s changing how engineers look at aircraft power and design. Although the aircraft industry continues to adopt innovative technologies, which are making current aircraft more energy efficient, there’s new interest in exploring alternative propulsion systems and energy sources. This new interest presents an opportunity to develop cutting-edge technologies that will dramatically reduce fuel usage, while opening up potential new markets and business opportunities for American companies and carriers. “I feel we are at a tipping point in commercial aviation,” says Jim Heidmann, manager of NASA’s Advanced Air Transport Technology Project (AATT). “We are exploring and developing game-changing technologies and concepts for aircraft and propulsion systems that can dramatically improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact and accelerate the introduction of new aircraft.” To provide better efficiency with less noise and fewer emissions, NASA is working with the aviation industry and...