The future for commuters is looking up as Dubai, a city that sometimes seems to inhabit a time zone five years ahead of the rest of the planet is planning to launch an air taxi service in 2017.
It will use self-flying drones built by China’s EHang Inc. The battery-powered egg-shaped EHang 184 aircraft is designed to transport one passenger on short to medium range trips.
Dubai officials say they plan to use Chinese-made drones to launch a self-flying air taxi as soon as July.
The Chinese-made EHang 184 drone has four propeller wings. It is designed to carry one passenger – weighing up to 100 kilograms – and a small piece of luggage.
The head of Dubai’s Roads and Transportation Authority says the autonomous taxi has already been tested in the city-state. He said regular service is expected to begin by July.
The egg-shaped aircraft can reach a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour. It can operate for up to 30 minutes on a single battery charge, with a flying range of 50 kilometers.
