Vertiports for flying cars to be built atop UAE
residential towers
A senior official of UAE General Civil Aviation
Authority (GCAA) has indicated the development of commercial operations of
flying cars in the emirates in as early as three years’ time.
Walid Ibrahim Al Rahmani, Assistant Director General -
Strategy & International Affairs, GCAA said the vertiports above the
buildings could be developed like the helipads already existing atop many towers.
However, he stressed that the safety aspect will also be taken into
consideration due to obstacles around high-rise towers.
Al Rahmani was speaking on the sidelines of a press
conference to announce the launch of the world’s first advanced air mobility
(AAM) integrator centre, which would allow companies to test and operate
electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
VPorts, which specialises in the design, construction
and operation of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure, will build the
centre in cooperation with UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the
Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH).
There are more than 400 flying cars or eVTOL (electric
vertical takeoff and landing vehicles) companies in the world that are working
to make their products safer and more reliable.
Dubai is emerging as one of the first destinations of
choice for companies to launch flying cars.
Chinese vehicle manufacturer XPeng also made the first
successful global public flight of its X2 flying car in Dubai recently. Dr
Fethi Chebil, CEO and founder of VPorts, also foresees commercial use of flying
cars from 2025.
Al Rahmani added that the regulatory framework is ready
for eVTOL.
Source: Khaleej Times