Dubai will launch Uber-bookable electric air taxis carrying four passengers later this year/representative image
Dubai residents could soon find air taxis listed alongside cars on the Uber app, as the city prepares to launch all-electric flights later this year. The move will allow passengers to book a flight as easily as requesting a regular flight, signaling a shift towards integrated land and air transportation under a single platform.The new feature, branded Uber Air, will appear within the existing app interface. Users will enter their destination as usual. If the flight qualifies for an air option, the app will offer the air taxi option alongside regular transfer services. Once selected, the system will manage the entire trip through a single booking. This includes premium vehicle transportation to the departure point, the flight itself, and ground transportation to the final destination.The aircraft is fully electric and is designed to accommodate up to four passengers. Each flight will be operated by a certified commercial pilot. Inside, the cabin is equipped with comfortable seats and large windows, providing expansive views of the city skyline from every seat.Technically, the car relies on six inclined propellers. It allows vertical take-off and landing before transitioning to forward flight.
The air taxi can reach speeds of up to 200 mph, and is capable of traveling up to 100 miles on a single charge.Engineers designed the plane to suit urban areas. It includes multiple layers of system redundancy to enhance safety measures. Its acoustic design has also been developed to blend in with the typical background noise of the city rather than stand out sharply against it.Passenger services in Dubai are expected to launch later this year.
This development represents an important step towards multi-modal transportation systems, where travelers can seamlessly move between land and air travel within a single booking process.This initiative is based on many years of planning that focused on integrating air traffic into daily transportation. The goal is to create a transportation network where switching between ground vehicles and aircraft becomes routine rather than exceptional.
