Flying taxis could be available by 2028 with pickup and drop-off at 'Skyports' — and here's how they'd work

Prachi Bhardwaj

2018-05-11T12:01:00Z

Uber recently revealed that it would like to make its UberAIR service available to passengers by 2028.

There's already a prototype for the futuristic taxi itself, but another major challenge will be finding a way to support a system of flying taxis that deliver passengers. The solution will involve what UberAIR refers to as "Skyports," or structures for take-off and landing, where passengers can be picked up and dropped off.

On day two of Elevate 2018, Uber's second annual conference for urban air transportation, six architect and design teams showed off their finalist Skyport proposals, which were created based on a few requirements. Each Skyport design had to be able to handle more than 4,000 passengers an hour and stay within a three-acre area — a little under one and a half football fields.

Here's what the Skyport designs looked like:

BOKA Powell's wedge-shaped concept accommodates 2,000 take-offs and landings per hour and allows vehicles to move in reverse to accommodate for wind changes.

Humphrey's & Partners' Mega Skyport is inspired by beehives, according to the firm. Screens positioned on the exterior are supposed to help it blend in with the surrounding area.

Humphreys Partners Architects Uber Skyport

Humphrey's & Partners have a concept for a Skyport and a Mega Skyport. The simpler "Skyport" sits on top of an existing parking garage, which the firms says is a "solution to the ever-pressing developer’s question of what to do with existing parking garages and lots."

Gannet Fleming designed a "modular and highly flexible" structure that can support all forms of urban transportation.

Corgan's vision for a Skyport, "CONNECT," is broken up into three parts: the highway that runs underneath, the station that goes through the middle, and a flight deck at the top with a bridge running just underneath.

The Beck Group designed "The Hive," a slightly elevated landing and take-off deck that resembles a beehive.

Pickard Chilton and ARUP firms teamed up to design the "Sky Tower" — a Skyport with multiple layers of landing space for flying taxis.

Uber Design