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UAE: Residential towers could soon have vertiports for flying cars, says expert

Dubai launches world’s first air mobility integrator centre, which would allow companies to test and operate electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft

Published: Wed 7 Dec 2022, 6:28 PM

Updated: Wed 7 Dec 2022, 6:56 PM

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File. Image used for illustrative purpose.

File. Image used for illustrative purpose.

The UAE could see commercial operations of flying cars or electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in 2025 or maybe a bit beyond, said a senior official.

Walid Ibrahim Al Rahmani, Assistant Director General - Strategy & International Affairs, UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said the option of vertiports above the buildings can’t be excluded as the UAE already have helipads on the residential towers. However, he stressed that the safety aspect will also be taken into consideration due to obstacles around high-rise towers.

Al Rahmani was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference to announce the launch of the world’s first advanced air mobility (AAM) integrator centre, which would allow companies to test and operate electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

VPorts, which specialises in the design, construction and operation of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure, will build the centre in cooperation with UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH).

The GCAA Assistant Directors foresees the commercial use of eVTOL in 2025 and maybe a little bit beyond. “It is conditional upon the success of the certification.”

There are more than 400 flying cars or eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles) companies in the world that are working to make their products safer and more reliable. And most of them are betting on 2025 to be the year of flying cars.

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However, Dubai is emerging as one of the first destinations of choice for companies to launch flying cars.

Chinese vehicle manufacturer XPeng also made the first successful global public flight of its X2 flying car in Dubai recently.

Dr Fethi Chebil, CEO and founder of VPorts, also foresees commercial use of flying cars from 2025.

Al Rahmani added that the regulatory framework is ready for eVTOL. “The part which is lagging now is certification. There are two main parts – certification of the product to ensure that it’s safe to fly and integration with air traffic management. The second aspect is where VPorts, which specialises in the design, construction and operation of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure, will allow the operation of such kind of vehicles in the airspace above cities without interfering with air traffic,” he said.



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