Despite being issued a cease-and-desist from a Utah Sheriff's Department, Uber will continue to use their helicopter service at the Sundance Film Festival.
As reported earlier this week, Uber has teamed up with the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to transport Sundance Film Festival-goers in H125 and H130 helicopters from the Salt Lake City Airport to Park City. According to The Hollywood Reporter, rides on the "UberChopper" cost $200 trips (the rate increases to $300 for night trips), and also includes complete Uber SUV service to locations around Park City from the town's helicopter pads. Hey, it's cheaper than trying to Uber from Outside Lands.
But the Associated Press writes, the local sheriff's department isn't down. As Summit County Sheriff Justin Martinez told the AP that he has grounds to ticket or arrest pilots, because Uber and Airbus failed to get the proper permits to land in fields. "I don't want to arrest people and take them to jail," Martinez said. "But that is an option available to me."
Hundreds of residents complained about the helicopter landings. "It was the people who came storming into Sundance, started flying their helicopters and landing them," said prosecutor Robert Hilder, who sought a restraining order against the choppers.
Meanwhile, Uber and Airbus say there was no permit to apply for anyway, according to Business Insider. On Friday, Judge Kara Pettit ruled that prosecutors against Uber and Airbus didn't have enough evidence against a restraining order, but would revisit the case on Monday. But by then, it'll be too late anyway, because that's when the chopper service ends.
"This is an interesting case," Hilder told the AP. "It deals with a lot that's happened in the world and happened very quickly. You essentially have a revolution in transportation."