Passenger drones to take to the skies in Dubai

Passenger drones could be seen in the skies above Dubai as early as July 2017, according to the city’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA). Speaking at the World Government Summit, Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of RTA, said the pilotless drones, designed to carry a weight of 100kg and a small suitcase, will have a range of 50 km and are on track to take off beginning in July 2017. The drones are part of Dubai’s strategy on autonomous transportation, under which 25 per cent of all journeys within the Emirat
February 15, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Passenger drones could be seen in the skies above Dubai as early as July 2017, according to the city’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA).

Speaking at the World Government Summit, Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of RTA, said the pilotless drones, designed to carry a weight of 100kg and a small suitcase, will have a range of 50 km and are on track to take off beginning in July 2017.

The drones are part of Dubai’s strategy on autonomous transportation, under which 25 per cent of all journeys within the Emirate are expected to be smart and driverless by 2030.

According to Associated Press, the Chinese-made EHang 184 has a top speed of 160 kph (100 mph), but authorities say it will be operated typically at 100 kph (62 mph). It carries only one passenger, who selects a destination on a touch-screen pad in front of the seat and the drone flies there automatically.

“This is not only a model,” al-Tayer said. “We have actually experimented with this vehicle flying in Dubai's skies.”

Related Content

  • April 26, 2016
    Dubai launches autonomous vehicle strategy
    Dubai has taken a major step towards autonomous vehicles with the launch of its Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy, which aims to transform 25 per cent of the total transportation in Dubai to autonomous mode by 2030. The Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy is expected to save US$6 billion in annual economic revenues by reducing transportation costs, carbon emissions and accidents, and raising the productivity of individuals as well as saving hundreds of millions of hours wasted in conventional tr
    Read More
  • April 10, 2019
    Serco wins Dubai Metro contract extension to 2021
    Serco has signed a two-year extension with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to continue operating and maintaining Dubai Metro until September 2021. HE Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA, says: “Serco has delivered operational performance levels on the Dubai Metro with a high train service availability of 99.9% and a punctuality of 99.8%, achieving a record of 204 million journeys in 2018.” The £140m contract includes the operation
    Read More
  • February 10, 2014
    Dubai's RTA plans US$985 million project spend in 2014
    Dubai's transport authority has approved a budget of just over US$1.9 billion for this year, with more than half allocated to new projects. Mattar Al Tayer, chairman and executive director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said around a third of the budget will be allocated to the Traffic and Roads Agency, a third to the Rail Agency, 13 per cent to the Public Transport Agency, and 17 per cent to be shared between the Licensing Agency, Administrative Support Services Sector, and Technical Support
    Read More
  • June 25, 2024
    Navigating the future: 30th ITS World Congress in Dubai
    Ertico – ITS Europe is organising the ITS World Congress, which takes place from September 16-20 this year: here are some thoughts on why you should book your place…
    Read More

Highlighted Content