Flying Cab

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First flying test taxis in Dubai

On Monday, DUBAI - Dubai hosted a test mission for what would soon be the world's first UAV taxis facility, as part of an UAE city's ambitions to guide the UAE Arabian community in terms of innovative development. Designed by the Volocopter droning company in Germany, the flying cab is similar to a small, two-seater chopper cab covered by a broad tyre with 18 blades.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, had organised a ceremonial run for the first time. Featuring a 30 -minute and 30 -minute maximum flying time, it offers many safety precautions in the event of an emergency: back-up battery, rotor and, in the worse case, a few emergency canopies.

The Volocopter is in a rush with more than a dozen wealthy U.S. and Canadian companies, each with their own science-fiction-inspired visions for the creation of a new type of transportation in the city, a mix of a riderless electrically powered vehicle and a short-haul plane with perpendicular take-off and land. Among them are Airbus, the aviation and space travel powerhouse that plans to launch a self-propelled cab by 2020; Kitty Hawk, a Google co-founder supported business with Larry Page; and Uber, which is working with partner companies on its own flight taxis policy.

"Implementing this would allow you to use your smart phone, have an application and order a volopter to the nearest nearby resort. Volocopters would come and collect you independently and take you to your destination," said CEO Florian Reuter. "It is already able to fly on GPS track basis today, and we will be implementing the Full Sensing ability even when there are unfamiliar barriers along the way," he added, saying that the designers were aiming to get the cabs up and running within five years.

During the test on Monday, the glider floated about 200 metres up and whirled for about five minute over a wind-whipped strip of sandy ground along the Gulf of Emirates. Dressed in sexy whites and headgear, Sheikh Hamdan and his retinue applauded from a neighbouring vantage point as the ship ascended.

By 2021 it is planning to launch an automated spacecraft on Mars, the first Mars spacecraft operation in the Arabian Empire, and Dubai has in many respects taken its striking walk into the unknown territory by presenting the region's first riderless prototype subway and robotic police vehicles. "Promoting innovations and using the latest technology not only helps to develop the country, but also creates a bridge to the future," said Sheikh Hamdan in a declaration.