Dubai to Launch Flying Taxis by 2026

Dubai is set to launch flying taxis by 2026, with the aim of becoming the global city of innovation.

Flying taxis could take to the skies in Dubai in as little as three years, it has been confirmed.

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The Emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced the news on Twitter.

There have been a lot of promises and pledges made by Dubai over the years about introducing groundbreaking transportation. But Sheikh Mohammed's comments, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, offer the firmest details yet about what's coming up.

A new air taxi station in Dubai will start operating within three years, according to his tweet from the World Government Summit. Global leaders meet every year in Dubai to talk about how they can deal with future challenges with innovation and tech.

FLYING TAXI DUBAI VIDEO

Among the companies working with Dubai's Road and Transport Authority to hit the 2026 target date were Skyports Infrastructure of the UK and Joby Aviation from Santa Cruz, California. The clip gave us some fascinating clues about what to expect from Advanced Air Mobility. With captions suggesting a maximum range of 150 miles and a top speed of 186 mph, Joby's six-rotor electric flying taxi was shown navigating Dubai's instantly recognizable skyline.

In Dubai's plans, flying taxis will be piloted by a pilot - although the autonomous operation is likely to remain a goal - and carry up to four passengers.

Although it is believed no contracts have yet been signed, Joby acknowledged that it had been involved in discussions, tweeting: “Dubai is a high-growth, high-innovation economy” and that it was “honored to present Joby” to Sheikh Mohammed and “discuss what aerial ridesharing can do for Dubai.”

Should the plan be delivered on schedule, Dubai would become the world’s first city with a fully developed network of vertiports, with four locations initially earmarked for operation – Dubai International Airport, Downtown, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina. 

London-based Skyports, a developer of take-off and landing infrastructure for air taxis, also acknowledged the video and hinted strongly at a possible collaboration. It tweeted: “We are honored to have received such strong endorsement of our Dubai vertiport vision from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed,” and retweeted a post from the Dubai Media Office that confirmed he had approved “models of aerial taxi vertiports” and been “briefed about potential partners."

It's still a long way off, but the air taxi service's prices are already being discussed, and it's going to be a little more expensive than renting a limousine. A limo is 30% more expensive than a regular taxi, which charges $0.50 per kilometer with a minimum fare. Last year, Chinese company XPeng Aeroht's X2 performed a dramatic test flight in the emirate that showcased the potential of flying cars.