DUBAI: Dubai’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan, has attended the maiden flight of the world’s first self-flying taxi, but it will be at least another five years before it goes into public use.
Provided by Germany-based Volocopter, the two-seater Autonomous Air Taxi (AAT) is being introduced by Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA), it can carry two people without a human pilot.
During the ceremony Sheikh Hamdan launched the first AAT into the sky with the press of a button.
“After the remarkable success of the first driverless metro in the region, we are glad to witness today the test flight of the Autonomous Air Taxi,” Sheikh Hamdan said at Monday’s test flight.
“This is another testament to our commitment to driving positive change. We are constantly exploring opportunities to serve the community and advance the prosperity and happiness of society.”
“Encouraging innovation and adopting the latest technologies contribute not only to the country’s development but also build bridges into the future,” he added
Sheikh Hamdan said the transportation sector was important and a vital driver of the development process and an indicator of the level of advancement of the UAE. He praised the progress the country had made in this sector.
RTA Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, Mattar Al-Tayer said the AAT had a variety of unique features, including top security and safety standards, it is also fitted with optional emergency parachutes.
Powered by clean electricity and featuring low noise levels, the AAT is an environmentally-friendly vehicle. The current prototype version has a maximum flight time of approximately 30 minutes at a cruise speed of 50 km/h, and a maximum airspeed of 100 km/h.
But all aspects are expected to evolve as the development continues.
The AAT is about 2 meters high and the diameter of the rotor rim, including propellers, is just over 7 meters.
The flying taxi service will be available to the public through an app that will allow customers to book flights, receive booking reference details and track the route of the AAT.
Over the next five years, the RTA will collaborate with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that the operational requirements for implementing AAT services are put in place.
Over the five years new laws and policies governing certification of the aircraft will be developed.
