We all know that Dubai takes everything to the next level and beyond. Well…this is something you couldn’t even imagine. Dubai has conducted the first test of a drone taxi service. Dubai hopes that this vehicle will be running within five years and also become a viable transportation of the city.
The drone taxi was tested above a strip of sand and it took off for about five minutes. This test flight was watched by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. The ambitions of Dubai to become the smartest city are seen every day. The German firm Volocopter designed the drone and said that within five years these taxi drones will be everywhere in Dubai.
“Implementation would see you using your smartphone, having an app, and ordering a Volocopter to the next Voloport near you,” said chief executive Florian Reuter. “The Volocopter would come and autonomously pick you up and take you to your destination.” The previous test was in Germany in April and this was a disappointing news for the rival Chinise firm eHang, because they said that they will be the first to launch a fleet flying taxis.
Noel Sharkey, a computer scientist and robotics expert at Sheffield University, said of the drone plans: “The big challenge will be dynamic obstacle avoidance of other taxis, buildings, birds and delivery drones. “The skies over Dubai could become uncomfortably crowded very quickly. The ground level of the city could become a dark place of intrigue and mystery like Blade Runner.”
