Dubai: Flying taxis to take to the skies in three years, Sheikh Mohammed says

Air taxis will take to the skies in Dubai within the next three years, Dubai’s Ruler and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, announced on Sunday.

The designs for air taxi stations were approved at the World Government Summit, with the project expected to launch electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) operations by 2026, Sheikh Mohammed said in a tweet.

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Dubai is set to become the world’s first city with a fully developed network of vertiports, with the initial launch connecting four major areas: near Dubai International Airport, Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Marina.

من القمة العالمية للحكومات .. اعتمدنا اليوم تصميم محطات التاكسي الجوي الجديدة في دبي .. والتي ستبدأ عملها خلال ٣ سنوات .. pic.twitter.com/tGQyPFVDUD

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 12, 2023

The air taxis will provide passengers with a smooth, end-to-end journey, with zero emissions and maximum safety. Each aircraft will have a pilot and room for four passengers, with a range of 241 km and a top speed of 300 kph.

Sheikh Mohammed also shared a video that highlighted the collaboration between the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and advanced air mobility companies Skyports Infrastructure and Joby Aviation to design and develop the infrastructure for the project.

The concept of flying cars in Dubai is not new, with Chinese firm XPeng Aeroht showcasing a two-seater electric VTOL flying car in a demonstration in Dubai last October.

Dubai’s air taxi project is an exciting development that brings the prospect of flying cars one step closer to becoming a reality.

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