Dubai is a city already well-known for its 21st-century innovation. Over the course of time, advancements in the technology and architecture sector have helped Dubai land as one of the safest and best places on earth to live in. The megalopolis keeps shocking everyone with the progress it’s made so far. With skyscrapers, architectural landmarks, beaches, hotels, and several structures almost all charting at #1 in the world, Dubai has yet got for us another shocking surprise – flying taxis!
In a globe where science and technology are rapidly changing our view of civilization, what’s modern in some cities could now well become a thing of the past in others, or we could say Dubai would have left other cities behind with this innovation of flying taxis. Residents will soon be able to make a 10-minute low-cost flight between some of Dubai’s busiest landmarks.
The traffic-busting air taxis in Dubai are set to arrive in the city at the end of next year with flights initially taking off from four key areas within the city. Collaborative efforts between the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, JOBY Aviation, and Skysports Infrastructure will bring a massive transformation to the public transport scene with the Dubai air taxis. Once the aircraft tests are completed, Dubai will become the first city in the world to have inner-city air transport.
On Tuesday, September 17th, 2024, the RTA confirmed via the Emirates News Agency that the first of the four initial vertiports will be operational in the first quarter of 2026. Also on Tuesday, November 12th, 2024, it was confirmed that the first vertiport is being built at Dubai International Airport(DXB). Vertiports will allow the flying taxis in Dubai to take off and land with no need for a runway.
Location and Distribution: Where will the Air Taxis in Dubai Operate?
Reports have confirmed that the first four vertiports(which will allow air taxis to take off and land vertically) will be located at the Dubai International Airport, Dubai Downtown, Dubai Marina, and Palm Jumeirah.
Skyports Infrastructure (Skyports), the leading provider of infrastructure for the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry, in partnership with the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA), on November 12th, 2024, announced that construction has begun on the world’s first permanent, commercial vertiport. And this will become operational in the Q1 of 2026.
According to Al Awadhi of RTA, these first four vertiports have been strategically chosen to connect the airport to key hotels in the city. But the outlined plans by aircraft partner, JOBY Aviation, are for the Dubai flying taxis to be as common as taking a bus in the city.
In October, Dubai public parking group Parkin confirmed that they will develop parking facilities to be used at the vertiports so car owners will be able to park and ride when the flying taxis finally arrive. So commuters can arrive at the vertiports in their personal car or with a car rental in UAE. Plans have also been outlined for the air taxis to eventually be able to travel between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The Hot Issues: Official Launch, Cost and Flight Schedules
Tests continued to be carried out on the air taxis in California, and, soon, in the desert in the UAE as well to determine the readiness for launch. Once the tests are concluded, we can expect to see them in the Dubai skies by the Q1 of 2026.
The plan for the air taxis in Dubai is to provide affordable yet really fast commutes between places within the city. Tickets are expected to be no more expensive than a ride in an Uber Black and commutes will roughly take a third of the time it takes a car to get across the city. And since Uber is a global partner of JOBY Aviation, you can expect to be able to book a flight using the ride-hailing app.
A journey between the Dubai International Airport will take 10 minutes by air taxis Dubai as opposed to the 45 minutes it currently takes. The air taxis in Dubai will transport four passengers and a pilot, and travel at speeds of up to 200 miles an hour.
At the vertiports, getting in and out of the air taxis will only take a few minutes and isn’t expected to have the same stringent security measures as those of flights out of the Dubai International Airport(DXB).
Will the Air Taxis in Dubai be Safe?
Yes, they will be, and tests will continue to be held to guarantee their absolute safety before they’re eventually launched. With six rotors on each aircraft, there’s an additional safety as opposed to one rotor on helicopters.
On Tuesday, September 10th, 2024, JOBY announced it had taken the first steps to become a certified taxi operator in the UAE. In order to get the official sign-off, there will be a five-stage application process requiring air taxi operating manuals, inspections of the UAE facilities, pilot and mechanic training, and flight operations, all of which will guarantee the safety of operations and passengers.
Other Key Things to Note About the Air Taxis in Dubai
- They will be electric vehicles and won’t cause pollution during the flight. This also means they will be much, much quieter than any helicopter flight, so you won’t need to put up with a lot of extra city noise.
- Flights will be between 1,000 and 3,000 feet in the air and passengers will still have mobile phone signals.
- Launch is expected to start with a few vehicles but JOBY Aviation says they plan to eventually have a fleet of around 100 taking to the sky.
- For those worried about the traffic jams moving from the roads to the skies, the manufacturers say it’s unlikely that you would see more than one in the air when you look up.
Or drop us a mail at help@beno.com
