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Uber Is Launching a Flying Car Research Lab in Paris

May 24, 2018
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3 min read
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Uber Is Launching a Flying Car Research Lab in Paris
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Uber is continuing its quest to be more than just a rideshare company. It just announced that it's investing more money into its flying car program currently referred to as Uber Elevate.

Per the announcement, Uber will establish a research and development center in Paris dedicated to flying cars — investing 20 million euros in the center over the next five years. It will be called the Advanced Technology Center Paris and will be Uber's first R&D lab outside North American when it opens this fall. Workers at the center will help develop AI and other air traffic control systems that can be used when a large air taxi system comes into use.

France is known for its deep pool of talent in the aeronautics field and is home to Airbus headquarters. Amazon and NASA recently set up camp in the country to develop air traffic control systems for the coming wave of delivery drones.

École Polytechnique, a university in suburban Paris, will collaborate with Uber "on research across artificial intelligence, aviation and all-electric transport."

The announcement described potential urban air mobility ventures:

Initial projects will include: machine learning-based transport demand modeling, high-density low-altitude air traffic management simulations, integration of innovative airspace transport solutions with European aviation regulators such as EASA, and the development of smart grids to support future fleets of electric transport on the ground and in the air.

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Uber hopes the center will accelerate its flying car program and get it closer to promised demonstration flights in 2020. The program hopes to develop autonomous flying "cars" that are purely powered by electricity and that would transport riders via air instead of the ground. The vehicles would be able to take off and land similarly to a helicopter, but with a much lower operating cost than a traditional VTOL aircraft.

Uber wrapped up its second Uber Elevate conference a few weeks ago where the company announced a new concept vehicle, an expanded partnership with NASA and a new agreement with the US Army. The program is still a long way from mass use — most of these aircraft are still in the early stages of development and its economics are questionable.

Airbus actually demonstrated a working electric VTOL aircraft in February and volocopter showed off its working prototype in January.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.