Uber is introducing an in-app air taxi booking option powered by Joby Aviation, allowing riders to book all-electric aircraft directly through the Uber app as part of a single multi-modal trip.
The integration follows a partnership between the two companies dating to 2019 and Joby's acquisition of Uber's Elevate aviation division in 2021.
Riders whose journeys qualify will see an Uber Air option within the app and can book a complete trip with a single tap, with Uber Black vehicles handling ground transport at both ends.
Joby's aircraft is designed to carry up to four passengers, features large panoramic windows and carries a certified commercial pilot.
The aircraft uses six tilting propellers to take off vertically before transitioning to forward flight, with a top speed of 200 mph and a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge.
Joby said the aircraft has completed more than 50,000 miles of flight testing across its fleet and has entered the final stage of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification, which is required before commercial operations can begin in the United States.
Joby expects to carry its first paying passengers in Dubai later this year, with further markets including New York, Los Angeles, the United Kingdom and Japan planned once regulatory approvals and technical integration are complete.
Sachin Kansal, chief product officer at Uber, said the company had long believed in the potential of advanced air mobility to transform how people move through cities.
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The companies said the aircraft is engineered with multiple redundancies and a quiet acoustic profile intended to support urban operations.
Neither company disclosed financial terms of the integration agreement.
The recap
- Uber offers Joby air taxi booking directly in its app.
- Joby aircraft seats 4, reaches 200 mph, 100-mile range.
- Joby expects first passenger flights in Dubai later this year.
