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Dubai: What an actual air taxi looks like up close

You may have heard about flying cabs, but here is a look inside the future mode of transport

Published: Wed 18 Oct 2023, 12:11 PM

Updated: Thu 19 Oct 2023, 10:01 AM

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Air Taxi displayed at the e& stand during the Gitex Global 2023 held at Dubai World Trade Center - Photos by M. Sajjad

Air Taxi displayed at the e& stand during the Gitex Global 2023 held at Dubai World Trade Center - Photos by M. Sajjad

A groundbreaking glimpse into the future of transportation has taken centre stage at the ongoing Gitex Global exhibition in Dubai. Amid the awe-inspiring innovations and technological marvels, the spotlight shines brightly on air taxis.

Autoflight, a global high-tech start-up, has unveiled its self-driving electric air taxi, allowing visitors to witness firsthand what the world has been buzzing about. Measuring 150 metres in height and reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h, the air taxi is set to chart a course into a new chapter of urban transport, offering a vision of what lies ahead in this ever-evolving world of innovation.

“It lifts off vertically like a helicopter and flies like an aeroplane,” said Lucile Bussman, systems engineer at the German company. “It can glide in the air because of how we have used German technology to engineer the wings.”

It is fully electrical and is recharged using a custom-made, state-of-the-art mega charger. The Megawatt Charging System has been made specifically for heavy-duty vehicles and has the capability to charge from 1MW to 3MW.

Tested extensively

The company, headquartered in Germany, has set up its production unit in China, where the taxi is also being tested.

After test flying for 1000 hours, the aircraft is already used for transporting cargo within China and will soon be available in the market for ferrying people. “We are expecting it to be fully ready in 2 years and be available for companies that want to use it as an air taxi,” said Lucile.

Despite the aircraft being autonomous, it will be driven by a pilot when operating as an air taxi. “According to current legislations, an air taxi must be driven by a person,” she said. “So the taxi will accommodate a pilot and four passengers for every trip.”

Currently, three aircraft have been produced and are in use in China. “As they are used for cargo, they are operated by a remote pilot,” said Lucile.

The company is in discussion with several entities in the UAE and is hopeful they will get buyers there. “We have also been invited to display the aircraft at the Dubai Airshow this year, and we are really excited about it,” she said.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, it was announced that air taxi operations will be launched in Abu Dhabi and across the country in 2026, slashing 60 to 90-minute car commutes to an estimated 10 to 20-minute electric air taxi flights.

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