It was publicly announced at the Uber Elevate Summit in Washington, D.C., United States, in June 2019.

[1][2][3][4] The aircraft's designation refers to eight lift fans, no tilt rotors and one tractor propeller.

[1] The aircraft features a cantilever high-wing, a five-seat, enclosed cabin under a bubble canopy, retractable tricycle landing gear, eight vertical electric lift motors powering shrouded fans mounted in two underwing pods and a single electric motor engine in a tail-mounted tractor configuration.

The design incorporates the ability to see-and-avoid other aircraft and emphasizes a low noise signature for acceptance in urban areas.

Also each of the eight lift fans operates at a different rpm and therefore frequency to reduce noise pitch peaking.