‘Martian’ taxis may take off over Dubai

Flying taxis operating on the principle of NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter, which is currently exploring Mars, could appear in the skies above Dubai. This follows an agreement signed by Austrian company FlyNow Aviation with Dubai authorities.

According to the agreement, commercial operation of the new type of air transport could begin in as little as 28 months. This comes amid growing interest in alternative mobility solutions, as traffic in Dubai continues to grow rapidly.

The company said that mass production of the cargo version of the aircraft will start in 28 months, followed by the passenger version later. FlyNow Aviation is engaged in the production of single-seat and two-seat air vehicles.

The air taxi has a cruising speed of 130 km/h and in flight makes a sound similar to a dishwasher. The cargo version can carry up to 200kg and has a range of 75km.

Taxis will fly on autopilot, following a predetermined route and automatically approach for landing. eVTOLs will also be equipped with collision avoidance sensors, and only air traffic control will have the right to change the flight path.

Ingenuity is NASA’s unmanned robotic helicopter that made the first-ever Mars mission on 19 April 2021, powered by its own engine designed to fly repeatedly in the atmosphere of another celestial body. The apparatus often takes mesmerising images of the Red Planet, which are later shared by NASA employees.

Source: Khaleej Times

Follow our Telegram Chanel