NASA Contracts Uber to Build Flying Taxi Air Control Software

The NASA logo on a protective box for a camera near the space shuttle Endeavour on April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida as preparations are under way for an April 29 launch of Endeavour, which will be its last flight. STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images

LISBON—Uber has struck a deal with NASA to develop software for managing “flying taxi” routes in the air along the lines of ride-hailing services it has pioneered on the ground, the company said on Wednesday.

And in this case, it’s working hard to stay on regulators’ good side.