Watch: Abu Dhabi conducts test flight of driverless flying taxi

Abu Dhabi has taken a giant step into the future of air mobility with the landmark public demonstration of a test flight of an autonomous flying taxi conducted in the Capital.

In a 50-second video clip released by Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) on Friday, the electric driverless vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is shown taking off from the helipad of Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, and cruising above the Abu Dhabi Marina.

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Watch the video here:

The test flight was conducted with the support of Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC), Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), in collaboration with Chinese technology company EHang and Multi Level Group (MLG).

ADIO did not mention how many minutes the EHang-powered flying taxi was up in the air but underscored the test flight “was aimed at evaluating the efficiency and operational capabilities of flying taxis.”

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“The trial was also a pivotal step towards integrating urban air mobility into everyday life,” ADIO noted, adding, “The (test flight) validated critical technologies, including hot-weather performance in Abu Dhabi’s climate alongside airspace coordination, route planning and vertiport operations.”

“Conducted under the oversight of the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the flight provided live proof of the regulatory, operational and infrastructure frameworks essential for safely scaling this new mode of transport,” ADIO continued.

“We are proving that urban air taxis will be a part of everyday life, here in Abu Dhabi and around the world. This is how we diversify our economy, cultivate homegrown capabilities and make the emirate a global leader in next-generation transport,” added Badr Al Olama, director-general at ADIO.

 Two-seater flying taxi

The flying taxi tested was EHang’s EH216‑S. It is touted as the world’s first certified, pilotless, two-seater eVTOL aircraft.

The EH216-S features eight arms equipped with 16 propellers. Each propeller is powered by a dual-motor system, totalling 32 independent electric motors.

According to EHang, the design ensures efficient vertical take-off and landing capabilities with a high level of operational safety and redundancy or the practice of having multiple independent safety systems in place to ensure that if one system fails, another will take over.

ADIO noted the Chinese technology-powered flying taxi is “tailored for urban environments and purpose-built for applications such as sightseeing, short-distance connections and tourism.” It operates with minimal noise and no runway, making it ideally suited to the evolving infrastructure of future cities.

Meanwhile, EHang earlier confirmed plans to establish regional operations in Abu Dhabi, including a final assembly line and support facilities, according to ADIO.

• Abu Dhabi

Angel Tesorero

angel@khaleejtimes.com

Angel Tesorero is Assistant Editor and designated funny guy in the newsroom, but dead serious about writing on transport, labour migration, and environmental issues. He is a food lover too.