Uber and Airbus team up for on-demand helicopter rides

Airbus chief executive Tom Enders said the pilot project will launch at the Sundance Festival this week

Uber will use Airbus H125 and H130 helicopters (Airbus)

Uber will partner with aerospace giant Airbus to introduce helicopters to its on-demand service.

Tom Enders, Airbus chief executive, told the Wall Street Journal that the pilot project will launch at the Sundance Film Festival this week.

“It’s a pilot project, we’ll see where it goes – but it’s pretty exciting,” he said.

No financial details of the partnership were provided, the Wall Street Journal said.

Uber has offered helicopter rides several times before.

“UberChopper” were available at the CES tech even in Last Vegas this month and the Cannes Festival in May last year.

Prices have previously varied between several hundred and several thousands of dollars for such rides. Helicopter rides during Sundance will include a car travel to and from the helipad, according to the report.

The controversial hailing app, which launched in 2009, has expanded its offerings to incorporate other forms of transportation. It has tried out an on-demand rickshaw service in India and boats in Turkey.

Airbus is hoping to find a new business models for helicopter operators to access a broader customer base.

The cooperation with Uber comes as Europe’s largest aerospace company is trying to establish itself in the Silicon Valley.

In late May 2015, Airbus Group had announced a plan to establish its Silicon Valley operations with a fully a $150 million (£104 million) independent venture capital fund and innovation centre.

“Although they’re located in the Silicon Valley, both organizations will operate on a global scale and their objective is nothing less than to disrupt ourselves,” said Tom Enders, Airbus Chief Executive