Embraer announced an agreement with Uber to explore the concept of an ecosystem—dubbed Uber Elevate Network—that will allow the potential development and deployment of small electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (VTOLs) for short urban commutes. The announcement was made in Dallas, Texas, in the opening session of the Uber Elevate Summit.

This preliminary partnership is a project generated by the Embraer Business Innovation Center, the new initiative based in Melbourne, Florida, with outposts in Silicon Valley and Boston, which was announced last month when the company revealed its intent to promote air transportation innovations.

“We firmly believe we need to explore several new business concepts that may impact air transportation in the future. This is a unique opportunity to complement the air transport knowledge of a visionary and revolutionary ground transport company. On exercising this partnership, we will be developing new technologies, new products and new business models which could generate opportunities for Embraer in the future,” said Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva, Embraer’s CEO.

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