Dubai planning to launch flying taxis by 2026, announces HH Sheikh Mohammed

In just three years, the skies over Dubai might be bustling with air taxis. Aerial taxis with a maximum range of 241 kilometres and high speeds of 300 kph have been designed, according to the Dubai Ruler, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE.

“Today, we approved the designs of flying taxi stations in Dubai which will operate within three years,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.

A pilot and four passengers will be accommodated in these air taxis. At first, Dubai Air Taxis will operate out of four locations: Downtown, Palm Jumeirah, Marina and the DXB Airport. According to a top official of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), driverless taxis that are expected to revolutionise the transportation industry in that city will cost as little as Uber rides.

Authorities in Dubai have been investigating aerial taxis for years, and some have even flown test flights.  At the World Government Summit in 2017, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) debuted a prototype of an autonomous aerial taxi. When the General Civil Aviation Authority announced a national law for vertiports that was a first in the world in December, the UAE took action to implement new regulations to support the developing flying taxi industry.

On October 10, 2022, a “flying automobile” created by Chinese electronic vehicle manufacturer Xpeng had its first open test flight in Dubai. The Dubai International Chamber, one of three Chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, hosted the test flight. Zero carbon dioxide emissions are produced during flight, and the eVTOL X2 flying automobile can operate in low-altitude cities and attain a top speed of 130 kmps.