Dubai is set to define ‘futuristic’ and how! The city has always been ahead when it comes to invention and innovation and now, the emirate is set to push the bar yet again. Dubai-aites will be able to commute in swanky flying taxis, very soon. Earlier, in February this year, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved the design of the new air taxi stations in Dubai. The project was announced at the World Government Summit 2023. In a recent update, the first look of Dubai’s vertiport terminal has been released — and it looks as futuristic as one could imagine.
An artistic representation of the infrastructure that will be constructed close to Dubai International Airport (DXB) was shared by Foster + Partners, a firm that specializes in architecture, engineering, and integrated design, and Skyports Infrastructure, a designer and operator of vertiport technology. The air taxis and the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft will use vertiport terminals to transport passengers.
Prior to the official launch of air taxis, several international companies tested flying cars in Dubai over the course of the previous year. At Gitex Technology Week in February of this year, Xpeng, a Chinese technology and electric vehicle manufacturer, successfully completed the first-ever global public flight of its X2 flying car.
In order for air taxis and eVTOL to operate by 2026, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is collaborating with Skyports Infrastructure and Joby Aviation to design and develop the necessary infrastructure.
air taxis will connect four ma in areas in Dubai
The aerial taxis can travel up to 241 kilometers, with top speeds of 300 kph. Each taxi can accommodate a pilot and four passengers. The initial launch network will link four key locations: the Palm Jumeirah, Downtown Dubai, Near Dubai International Airport, and Dubai Marina.
The upcoming vertiport terminal will be located near the Dubai airport and will be sit on an elevated deck to facilitate aircraft take-off and landing. Images provided by the architecture firm showed the building encircling the airport, linking the arrival and departure lounges, and providing breathtaking views of the planes and the surrounding city.
“We are delighted to have developed a vertiport concept, which will transform the way people travel in Dubai. The conceptual vertiport connects with Dubai International Airport and the Dubai Metro, to provide seamless, sustainable travel across the city for international and domestic passengers,” said David Summerfield, head of studio, Foster + Partners.
Sheikh Mohammed attended day one of the World Government Summit on Sunday, 12 February. In the event, HH gave his approval to the design (WGS). In a video he published, he claimed that the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had been collaborating with industry titans Skyports Infrastructure and Joby Aviation to plan and build the infrastructure for a “anticipated launch” of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) operations by 2026.
The Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame, and Burj Al Arab are just a few of the famous Dubai monuments that can be seen in the video as air taxis fly by. The emirate wants to provide a seamless, emissions-free “end-to-end passenger trip”, with the launch of these sky-taxis.
People can experience flying taxis in a simulation at the RTA booth at the WGS. The aircraft will be able to take off and land vertically, which will result in a “short turnaround time.”
Well, we can’t wait to see taxis flying over the UAE sky!
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