Ras Al Khaimah has signed a deal with Chinese flying-car maker Aridge (formerly XPeng AeroHT) to test privately owned flying cars under GCAA oversight, with a demonstration route between Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah also being planned
In the UAE, the future isn’t a distant ambition. Here, planning and execution come to life in the matter of mere months. Gone are the days where we sit in traffic and hope to see flying cars, because Ras Al Khaimah just signed off on testing these airborne vehicles very soon.
Just this past Friday, Aridge, one of Asia’s largest flying-car companies, signed an agreement with the emirate, under the oversight of the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority, to launch a regulatory sandbox.
‘What is a regulatory sandbox?‘ you ask? It is simply a controlled environment where the aviation vehicle can be flown and evaluated before establishing rules for wider use.
Image: WAM
So, when will the aircraft be available for public use?
Before properly establishing use for the general public, it is important that the aircraft be tested and pass regulatory standards while also setting up some ground rules in place. This move came about a day after the aircraft company, Aridge demonstrated its modular flying car – the Land Aircraft Carrier in Abu Dhabi. While the official signing off on the vehicle itself was held at RAK Ruler’s palace in the Saqr bin Mohammed City.
Commenting on the recent developments, HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, said, “We believe that the true value of technology lies in its impact on people’s lives and its ability to support development and improve services. In Ras Al Khaimah, innovation is a fundamental part of our vision for the future, and we are working to harness it to develop more efficient systems that meet the needs of our community and economy.”
So, while this still may be in its testing phase, plans to roll it out to the public will be phased out once the rules come into place. And it’s also worth mentioning that unlike the traditional air taxis, these vehicles would be sold for private use. So, if you’ve ever dreamed of taking to the skies and have some spare dirhams, reality might just be closer than you think.
Image: WAM
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