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The Drone Taxi in Dubai

We are always amazed whenever we see flying cars at the movies. More often than not, we try to wonder when this will become a reality. Well, wonder no more as there are countries now that are facilitating these type of transport, and all test flights are successful.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to exchange expertise on autonomous air vehicles.

They will collaborate on areas such as legislation; testing programmes; identification of vehicle air routes and take-off and landing sites; and safety and security relating to urban air mobility.


Eve Holding, an electric aircraft company owned by Embraer, a Brazilian plan maker and Falcon Aviation Services, a UAE-based charter flight operator, have collaborated to make 35 flying taxis and urban air mobility plans for Dubai.

Ahmed Hashim Behrouzian, Executive Director of the Public Transport Foundation and Head of the RTA’s self-driving air vehicle project team, said: “The MOU is part of our measures promoting Dubai’s smart self-driving strategy, which aims to convert 25 percent of all travel in Dubai into self-driving flights through various means of transport by 2030, as well as to integrate mass transport and enhance the happiness of the population, by providing easy, fast and innovative transport channels.”

Can we Uber a helicopter in Dubai?


It starts with a safety briefing at The Atlantis helipad on The Palm Jumeirah before taking off for a journey over Old Dubai, Downtown Dubai and Dubai Marina. A helicopter ride booked for a group of six costs AED 530 per person, while individual seats are priced at AED 630.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has recently held the first legal forum to review the rules and regulations governing operations for passenger transport autonomous air vehicles. This preliminary step aims to chart out suitable structures and develop rules and regulations required for the operation of this ultra-advanced mode of future transportation.

Such efforts form an integral part of plans and strategies aimed to broaden and enhance the transportation sector in Dubai and raise its global significance.


"Legislations regulating the operation of such drones are critical to maintaining the development process and envisioning the future. Enacting such laws aims to build an integrated legislative structure capable of supporting Dubai’s sustainable development, technology advancement, and the use of artificial intelligence in the infrastructure. Dubai has embarked on a new phase in the journey towards the smart city marked using artificial intelligence onboard drones," said Shehab Bu Shehab, Director of the Legal Department, Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, RTA.

Are air taxis safe? Is it safer to fly an air taxi-certified airplane? The short answer is, YES. Extra safety measures undergone by the air taxi operators regulated under Part 135 provide customers with more reliable (and legal) ways to hire private aircraft.

These flying taxis are battery-powered and, the companies say, destined to fly without a pilot—once regulations allow. Billions of dollars flowed into the sector in 2021, as well as an impressive number of orders, mostly from commercial airlines.


If you’re familiar with Uber, Uber is a platform where those who drive and deliver can connect with riders, eaters, and restaurants. According to UberAir, first, there was Dallas and Los Angeles where these flying Taxis will be available. Now Uber wants a third city to fly its air taxi service, and it's looking internationally.

The countries were announced during the Uber Elevate Asia Pacific Expo in Japan. The list includes Japan and the cities of Tokyo and Osaka; India with Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore; Australia in Melbourne or Sydney; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Paris, France, where Uber already announced an Advanced Technologies Center to study and develop flying cars.

In what feels like Amazon's search for a second headquarters location, Uber this week announced its shortlist for countries the ride-hailing app would work with to launch its aviation project UberAir, a flight-sharing network with electric vertical take-off and landing (e-VTOLs) aircraft. The planes are expected to cruise at about 150 mph and reach about 2,000 feet. The electric planes will go 60 miles on a charge.

Now the question is, are you up for the experience? I certainly do!

Cheerio!

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