Flying Taxis to Launch Sooner in Dubai’s Skies, Says Dubai’s Ruler

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Eve Holding, an electric aircraft company, and Falcon Aviation Services, a UAE-based charter flight operator, have collaborated to bring this tech-advanced picture into reality. With an initiative to escalate the mobility of Dubai’s transport and beat the on-road traffic, this flying taxi is a revolutionary idea.

Ahmed Bahrozyan, a head official from the Road Transport Authority, said, “The price for the flying taxis will be in the range of a limousine service in Dubai, maybe slightly higher.” Although the prices are still under discussion, according to hearsay, they could cost as little as an Uber ride. Barzoyan also said that as the demands increase and production costs decrease, flying taxis will become a part of day-to-day operations.

Initially, the taxis will be geared by the pilots rather than the autonomous ones, as discussed earlier. There will be a capacity of four passengers on board.

This is not the first time a flying taxi has made headlines. Back in 2017, Dubai brought this ambitious scope into the limelight. The world waited for it to become a reality. But this Monday, the Ruler of Dubai announced the most reliable and firmest details. He tweeted: “From the World Government Summit, we approved today the design of the new air taxi stations in Dubai, which will start operating within three years.”

The tweet included a video that introduced the world to some of the hidden secrets of the Advanced Air Mobility revolution. The flying taxis would run at a whopping speed of 300 km/hr and cover a range of 240 km.

The prototype of a six-rotor electric flying taxi made by Joby Aviation was also shown zooming across the skyline of Dubai. “We’re excited about the opportunity and actively exploring the possibility,” said Oliver Walker-Jones, a spokesman for Joby Aviation. Another collaborator, Skyports, a London-based infrastructure developer, also retweeted, acknowledging the iconic plan of this decade.

As things take shape, Dubai will become the first city to have such a wide network of vertiports, including Dubai International Airport, Dubai Downtown, the archipelago of Palm Jumeirah, and the posh neighbourhood Dubai Marina. “We believe those are attractive areas with business hubs and tourist hubs that could generate considerable demand,” Bahrozyan said. These ports will include two launching pads and four charging slots. Since the plans are rocketing on a broad scale, the flying taxis would zoom over Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. If it’s possible, travelers can fly from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in a mere 30 minutes.

The concept of flying taxis in Dubai also comes from the desire of moving away from carbon-emitting gasoline and diesel vehicles. The next step is to have driverless cars in Dubai by 2030.