Flying Taxi

Dubai has unveiled the world's first dedicated air taxi station near Dubai International Airport, a significant step towards making flying taxis a practical mode of transport. This "vertiport" facility, designed for electric eVTOL aircraft, is set to launch commercial operations by late 2026, promising to drastically reduce travel times across the city.

Dubai again is planning for the takeoff of flying taxis in this futuristic city-state on the Arabian Peninsula, offering its firmest details yet Monday for a pledged launch by 2026. Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced the relaunched flying taxi program on Twitter Sunday. This time, Dubai highlighted the six-rotor electric flying taxi made by Joby Aviation of Santa Cruz, California, in the promotional video.

Anand Mahindra unveiled India's upcoming flying taxis on X. The ePlane from IIT Madras features a 200 km range, 200 kg payload, vertical take-off/landing, 0.5-2.0 km altitude, and 200 kmph speed.

The UAE has approved a new regulatory framework allowing flying taxis (eVTOLs) to use existing helipads alongside helicopters. This move accelerates advanced air mobility adoption, reduces infrastructure costs, and supports future commercial launches. Recent test flights in Abu Dhabi and Dubai highlight growing readiness, with Dubai aiming for operational flying taxi services by 2026.

Picture this: You book a taxi on your smartphone and a few minutes later you walk to your terrace and hop on to a waiting plane. In the next 10minutes, you are at your destination that is 10 kilometres away. Looks like science fiction? According to 'The ePlane Company', it may soon become a reality.

Abu Dhabi has achieved a significant milestone in urban air mobility with a successful public demonstration of an autonomous flying taxi. The test flight, featuring the EHang EH216-S, showcased the potential for integrating eVTOL aircraft into the city's transportation ecosystem. This initiative underscores Abu Dhabi's commitment to innovation and diversifying its economy through next-generation transport technologies.

"Uber's participation in NASA's UTM (Unmanned Traffic Management) Project will help the company's goal of starting demonstration flights of uberAIR in select US cities by 2020," the ride-sharing company said in a statement.

Renowned industrialist Anand Mahindra recently shared India's groundbreaking achievement, the first electric flying taxi prototype. This innovative leap in transportation, showcased with enthusiasm by Mahindra, highlights the nation's commitment to sustainable mobility. He particularly commended the ingenuity of IIT Madras, recognizing their pivotal role in bringing this futuristic vision to life. This milestone not only marks technological progress but also underscores collaborative efforts towards a greener, more advanced future in transportation.

Abu Dhabi successfully tested a flying taxi, a big step for future transport. The test was done with Archer Aviation before launching air taxi services in 2026. The goal is to create a complete aviation system, including training and manufacturing. Testing will continue to check how the aircraft works in Abu Dhabi's climate.

Imagine travelling from MG Road to Kempegowda International Airport (24km by air) in just 11 minutes by an electric flying taxi costing roughly twice the fare of regular taxi. At Aero India, The ePlane Company's non-flying prototype model grabbed the attention of many, especially in the backdrop of Bengaluru's notorious traffic jams.

Chennai-based ePlane Company, specializing in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has secured $14 million in funding. The investment will be used to obtain global regulatory certifications and accelerate the commercialization of their eVTOL aircraft. With flight testing slated for mid-2025, ePlane aims to revolutionize urban transportation with its sustainable and innovative aerial mobility solutions.

On May 8, Uber unveiled flying car prototype that hopes to offer rides through by 2023, starting in Dallas and Los Angeles. For this it partners with NASA to design urban air-traffic control system. Here's a look:

Test flights of so-called flying taxis -- futuristic drones capable of transporting people -- have been scrapped in Paris during the Olympics as the certification for the engine has not come through, its promoters said. German manufacturer Volocopter has been conducting test flights in the Paris region for several years and had lobbied hard for authorisation from European authorities in time for the Olympics. The company has partnered with French airport operator ADP, the capital's metro and bus operator RATP, and the Paris regional government.

flying taxis could make travelling much faster

Plans to lift an electric-powered "flying taxi" over Paris during the Olympics have been scrapped because certification for its engine has not come through, its promoters said on Thursday. Its helicopter-like "Volocity" aircraft is fitted with 18 electric-powered rotors on a circular frame above the fuselage and has two seats, one for a pilot and another for a passenger.

Britain's aviation regulator is studying designs for eVTOL airports, called "vertiports", as the arrival of flying taxis edges closer. The Civil Aviation Authority is launching a consultation on how vertiports would fit into existing small airfields and operate safely. UK-based Vertical Aerospace, working on an eVTOL product, received a $50 million investment to help gain regulatory approval.

These air taxis would eventually cost as low as an Uber ride, opines Ahmed Bahrozyan, Chief Executive Officer of The Public Transport Agency at Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). “We believe that it will be not very far from the price of a normal Uber possibly, and that's when really it becomes a normal service that anybody can use.”

Dubai is set to launch the world's first comprehensive urban aerial taxi network in 2026, with four key vertiport locations identified: DXB, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and Palm Jumeirah. Successful crewed eVTOL test flights have been completed, paving the way for electric air taxis to offer rapid, sustainable travel, significantly reducing commute times across the city.

Startup Volocopter hopes to make Fiumicino Airport a pioneer site for the rotor-bladed, battery-powered two-seater air taxi it is developing.

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Suzuki and SkyDrive will collaborate in areas of business and technology that include technology R&D, planning of manufacturing and mass-production systems, and promotion of efforts to attain carbon neutrality. The company states that the project will have an initial focus on India, where it controls nearly half of the auto market.

South Korean researchers developed a transport drone with self-correcting flexible rotors, used to carry goods over uneven terrain. The drone, guided by gentle human force, maintains balance and offers potential for future applications including flying taxis and mid-air drone refueling, despite current cargo limitations.