Dubai says first flying taxi station completed
Authorities in the Gulf emirate said on Thursday that commercial operations could start by year's end after finishing its first flying taxi station.
Dubai Crown Prince and United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed visited the emirate's "first purpose-built electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) Air Taxi Station", the emirate's media office said in a statement.
Spread over an area of 3,100 sq m and featuring four levels, the facility described by the emirate's authorities as the first of its kind in the world, includes a two-level car park, two Air Taxi take-off and landing pads and dedicated charging infrastructure.
"Next to the international airport, this station will become the main hub for Air Taxi operations and capacity to handle up to 170,000 passengers annually," the statement said.
That includes three additional flying taxi stations.
The flights will be conducted by California based Joby Aviation, which will have exclusive rights for a period of six years.
Sheikh Hamdan, in the statement, added: "The Air Taxi infrastructure launch is a significant milestone in embracing new modalities of transportation and reinforcing Dubai's preparedness for challenges ahead."
This led the UAE's most populous city to become a hub for business and tourism in the region.
Recently it has been adversely affected by attacks from Iran targeting its Gulf neighbours in a response to an offensive led by the US and Israel.
Since then there has been a two-week ceasefire.
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