Dubai aims to have passenger-carrying drone taxi in service in July

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

JON GAMBRELL
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Associated Press
Published Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017 7:17AM EST
Last updated Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017 7:18AM EST





Up, up and away: Dubai hopes to have a passenger-carrying drone regularly buzzing through the skyline of this futuristic city-state in July.

The arrival of the Chinese-made EHang 184 — which already has had its flying debut over Dubai’s iconic, sail-shaped Burj al-Arab skyscraper hotel — comes as the Emirati city also has partnered with other cutting-edge technology companies, including Hyperloop One.

The question is whether the egg-shaped, four-legged craft will really take off as a transportation alternative in this car-clogged city already home to the world’s longest driverless metro line.

Mattar al-Tayer, the head of Dubai’s Roads & Transportation Agency, announced plans to have the craft regularly flying at the World Government Summit. Before his remarks on Monday, most treated the four-legged, eight-propeller craft as just another curiosity at an event that views itself as a desert Davos.

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/dubai-aims-to-have-passenger-carrying-drone-taxi-in-service-in-july/article34015007/

[Blue_Tires]

1. Better them than me...

[YOHABLO]

2. I wonder if all of the huge huge skyscrapers can withstand a drone crash?

It's gonna happen

[Crash2Parties]

3. Unguarded blades at gut level? Brilliant!

[LisaM]

4. There is nothing - absolutely nothing - about Dubai

that appeals to me. It sounds awful, mostly for the human rights violations like confiscated passports and worker conditions, but now there's another reason not to go, these drones all over the place.