Dubai flying taxi display a hit: Would you pay Dh150 for a ride when it launches next year?
Visiting the second level of the Museum of the Future, guests were met with a massive, full-size model of the flying taxis ready to get airborne in Dubai at the dawn of next year.
Similar to a chopper but targeting a new generation of flying taxi, the creature is intended for 4 people at most, and should bring entertaining city rides, as well as an individual alias after these decades of technology-imposed choppier experience. Its design is unlike that of a typical helicopter, sporting three rounded landing skids and six rotors.
Visitors have been spotting the prototype taxi on display in droves, asking questions about the prospect of air taxi flying.
We also asked residents how they felt about using the air taxi when it became operational. Jumeirah resident Deep Shah said he was excited for the service, adding he would pay as much as Dh150. He said, "Dh150 would be a fair price if it gets you from Al Garhoud to Marina in 10 minutes."
The Joby S4, an electric air taxi, how much would you pay for that? – That fare is still forthcoming from authorities. It runs fully on electricity and features six rotors, four battery packs, and room for four passengers and a pilot. The Joby S4 is also quieter than a helicopter, with a range of 161 km and a top speed of 322 km/h.
By air taxi, it will take only 12 minutes to fly from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Palm Jumeirah, and 45 minutes in a car. Eight years later, the concept of flying taxis captured Shah's imagination when he learned of trials planned in Dubai and he told others about the high-tech experience to come.
For some, it is to escape the traffic of the city. Dubai couple Hassan Kazemkhani and Maryam Hosseini viewed the flying taxi as suitable for their daily commute. Hassan said he would not pay more than Dh50 for a ride from Jumeirah to Deira.
Maryam added that the service may be expensive but it could be worth the money in circumstances where one needs to be on time. She replied, "I heard they are expensive but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet when you have to be somewhere on time and the traffic is bad."
But not everyone is in such a hurry to fly. Stay-at-home mother Ellen Cortez said she would not ride the air taxi, which she described as "terrifying", after living in the emirate with her Filipina husband for 11 years. Cortez, however, is hesitant due to his fear of heights despite the vehicle's top speed of 322 kmph and the imposing safety standards the car was subjected to. However, she still thinks the idea is thrilling, saying, “(Perhaps) Just to be curious, I will (try it).”
The flying taxis will be operational in Dubai first in line, where it is expected to be the first city in the world to start the flights during the 1st quarter of 2026. In fact, the flying taxi is fully electric and emissions-free, which meshes well with Dubai's other transportation goals, which includes a 2030 vision for 25 per cent of all trips to be self-driving.
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