Think of Uber-like air taxis that can beat the traffic on Highway 101 by flying over it.

Airbus has shared few details about the aircraft, but recently posted its first conceptual renderings on a Medium blog.

The drawings depict a craft that can take off and land vertically. It has helicopter-like struts, and two sets of tilting wings each with four electric motors. There's room for a passenger under a canopy that retracts like a motorcycle helmet visor.

Airbus, a rival of American icon Boeing (BA), is best known for its large jetliners like the double-decker A380. But it's also pouring big money into the future, and holds an advantage that many aviation startups with radical concepts don't have: Experience and funding.