Mashable: Air taxis to get a futuristic Mars-inspired touch in Dubai

Dubai is quite literally turning into a sci-fi town.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is no stranger to futuristic developments in transportation and there seems to be no stopping.

Soon, Dubai residents could be getting their very own Mars-inspired air taxis. According to the Khaleej Times, Mars-inspired air taxis will fly over the Emirates soon and their operational philosophy and principles resemble that of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter.

Air taxis in Dubai are set to be commercial and transport passengers and cargo in as little as 28 months. The idea to develop the air taxis comes from an Austrian firm named FlyNow Aviation which has already initiated a collaboration process with the authorities in the United Arab Emirates.

FlyNow aviation is set to be commercial and airborne very soon as authorities across the world are worried about traffic collapse in megacities which results in tremendous economic loss.

The developers label the air taxis as the “most efficient configuration and infrastructure footprint” that has ever been built in this space.

The Co-founder and CEO of FlyNow Aviation, Yvonne Winter, said that the air taxis come in “single and twin-seaters.” Revealing the production, she confirmed that the startup series production of the cargo version will be done in 28 months. “So, we will have the cargo version before we go into the production of the passenger version,” she said.

The eVTOL which has a 130kmph cruise speed and sounds like a dishwasher aims to help passengers travel in comfort and style.

“The cargo version can carry up to 200kg,” she added, confirming its alignment with the standard size in logistics.

As per the news outlet, the rotor system of the eVTOL is highly efficient and also enables flight in atmospheres that are lower in density than Earth. It can also generate ample lift and control and is ideal for operating in high altitudes.