UAE: GACA Announces Air Taxis Can Use Existing Helipads, As Abu Dhabi Tests ‘Midnight’ Flying Taxis

Abu dhabi flying taxi test

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After Dubai, now Abu Dhabi has announced a successful test flight for its flying taxi. This happened at the Al Bateen Executive Airport, and the test was conducted by Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Archer Aviation, a US-based company. This successful trial of the ‘Midnight’ taxi comes ahead of the launch, which is expected to take place early next year.

Abu Dhabi Tests Flying Taxi

Taking another step towards the future, Abu Dhabi Investment Office announced that it had successfully conducted the trial of a flying taxi. Although the test phase will continue well into the summer, this will help in understanding how these taxis can be commercialised and how they will fare in the unique summer environment, along with humidity and dust.

These Air Taxis Are Expected To Have Feasible Pricing

This successful test flight in Abu Dhabi come just as Dubai had also announced a successful trial of an air taxi. And if you think that these newly launched air taxis would probably be quite expensive and perfect only for luxury travellers, you couldn’t be more wrong. We say this because, as revealed by Archer Aviation, the pricing is expected to be feasible for the public. And as more vertiports and aeroplanes are introduced, the prices are expected to go down gradually.

Also Read: From Launch Of Special Coins In UAE To DXB’s Initiative For Autistic Children, 5 GCC Updates for You

UAE’s GACA Takes Major Decisions

Just as Dubai and Abu Dhabi completed successful tests of flying taxis, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority has now issued a regulatory framework. This framework allows conventional helicopters and electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL) to operate from the same infrastructure. This can be done interchangeably, which means that people can use an existing helipad for take-off and landing.

After all, it was just recently that Abu Dhabi conducted a successful test flight of an autonomous flying taxi, which took off from the helipad of Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal. And with there being more than 70 helipads in Abu Dhabi, it’s a great way to use the existing infrastructure.

So with the introduction of a new mode of travel, it’s bound to make people commute faster and reach their destination a lot quicker.

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Anupriya Mishra: A history nerd, Anupriya loves to read, talk, and write about everything related to lifestyle and travel. With a fondness for trying every dish out there, you might catch her at the newest restaurant trying their exquisite fare while gossiping about Bollywood movies!