However, Dubai's drone taxis are not what Ehang 184 said. Instead of using China's Ehang 184 drone machine, Dubai will fly a German-made startup drone taxi, Volocopter.
Quoted from Business Insider, Volocopter has signed a contract with Dubai transport authority to start its maiden flight in December 2017. However, the drone tax is still to be reviewed by the government for five years.
The Volocopter drone taxis use the Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) method. So, the drone tax can take the take-off vertically without having to take off the runway from afar like an airplane.
Taxi with the name of the series "Volocopter 2X" is claimed as a second-generation drone cab made by Volocopter. Technically, a drone taxi uses 'fuel' by recharging the battery for 40 minutes only.
Carrying the electrical components, Volocopter 2X uses 18 rotor (small propeller), which makes it able to fly in the air without causing noise. Because only armed with nine batteries as fuel, taxi drone is only able to fly for 17 minutes only. In the future, the Volocopter will create a stronger power so that the drone cab can fly longer.
Since there is no driver, the Volocopter 2X is equipped with an autonomos flight sensor. In addition there will be a special pilot who controls the flight route of the drone taxi and for five years into the training session.
