Fasten your seat belts : Flying taxis in Dubai to operate by 2026
Dubai will have flying air taxis within three years says His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. He has approved the design of air taxi stations in the city and the location of stations planned for the initial phase of operations.With this Dubai will be the first city in the world to operate flying taxis.
“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,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted. The aerial taxis will have top speeds of 300kmph, with a maximum range of 241km. It will seat a pilot and four passengers. The initial launch network will connect four main areas: Near Dubai International Airport, Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina. Sheikh Mohammed approved the design on Sunday as he attended day zero of the World Government Summit (WGS). According to a video he posted, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has been working with leading companies Skyports Infrastructure and Joby Aviation to design and develop the infrastructure for an “expected launch” of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) operations by 2026.
The video shows air taxis whizzing past popular Dubai landmarks like the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame and Burj Al Arab. The emirate is aiming to offer smooth “end-to-end passenger journey”, with zero emissions. The RTA stand at the WGS has a simulation which allows people to experience the flying taxis. With vertical take-off and landing facilities, the aircraft will have a “fast turnaround time.”
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