Ehang's Flying Taxi Is Coming To Dubai This Summer

The United Arab Emirates has big plans for self-driving vehicles. By 2030, it wants a quarter of its transport to be autonomous.

The EHang 184, a driverless flying taxi, could go a long way to helping the government achieve that ambition.

Dubai’s transport authority has announced it wants to introduce the Chinese aerial vehicle as soon as July this year.

The EHang 184 autonomous aerial vehicle.

John Locher/AP

Equipped with eight propellors, the single seat taxi can travel at 60mph at an altitude of 300 metres, according to Dubai’s transport authority.

All the passenger needs to do is select a destination. The drone then flies the route and touches down in a spot monitored by a control centre.

It can fly for up to 30 minutes per trip and recharges in two hours. Dubai hopes that with people whizzing through the sky, traffic congestion will decrease.

STRINGER via Getty Images

“The autonomous aerial vehicle exhibited at the World Government Summit is not just a model,” authority head Mattar al-Tayer said on Monday told AFP. “We have already experimented with the vehicle in a flight in the Dubai sky.”

Dubai’s ambitious transport plans aren’t limited to the sky, however. In November, officials inked a feasibility study with Hyperloop One, developers of a 500mph train that could slash journey times between the emirates.

The robots and drones set to change our lives

Robots that can deliver other robots:

Amazon/AP

Amazon Prime Air is a drone delivery service which the company is currently testing. The company aims to deliver products within just 30 minutes of the customer pressing the 'order' button. (AP Photo/Amazon)

Robots that could soon be saving lives:

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The robot 'CHIMP' developed by Team Tartan Rescue from the US prepares to complete a task during the finals of the DARPA Robotics Challenge. It is hoped that these robots will eventually replace emergency services workers during events like the Fukushima nuclear disaster. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Robots that can carry your stuff:

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A robotic cheetah runs during a demonstration at the finals of the DARPA Robotics Challenge. DARPA's four-legged robots have been designed to carry supplies and ammunition for the US Army. Capable of travelling over tough terrain the hope is that these will eventually replace the need for trucks or small vehicles. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Robots that can kill:

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A sentry robot freezes a hypothetical intruder by pointing its machine gun during its test in Cheonan. South Korea unveiled a high-tech, machine gun-toting sentry robot that could support its troops in detecting and killing intruders along the heavily fortified border with North Korea. The weapons-grade robot can detect, raise the alarm and provide suppressive fire. (KIM DONG-JOO/AFP/Getty Images)

Robots that can race each other:

YOSHIKAZU TSUNO via Getty Images

Japan's motorcycle maker Yamaha Motor introduces the prototype model of a motorcycle riding robot 'Motobot' during a press preview at the Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo on 28, 2015.(YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images)

Robots that are toys:

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Sphero BB-8 remote controlled droid is on display at CES Unveiled, a media preview event for CES International, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, in Las Vegas. The robot is controlled by an app for a mobile device. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Robots that will do your weekly shop:

A new delivery drone company plans to revolutionise the way we do our shopping by replacing your weekly trip to Sainsbury's with a tiny delivery robot which will bring your fruit and veg straight to your door.(Starship Technologies)