By bne Gulf bureau
Saudi Arabia has launched a self-driving aerial taxi service for pilgrims during this year’s Hajj season, the state news agency SPA reported on June 12.
The electric flying taxi is designed to transport pilgrims across holy sites, facilitate the rapid transfer of medical emergencies and supplies, and deliver goods. It’s the first service of its kind in any market worldwide.
Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, the Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services, declared this initiative as the world's first civil aviation authority-licensed flying taxi.
Al-Jasser, along with Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), and Rumaih Al-Rumaih, Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, attended the launch event, witnessing the vertical takeoff of the autonomous vehicle.
“The inauguration of the air taxi is part of our efforts to adopt future transport technologies and environment-friendly models utilising artificial intelligence,” Al-Jasser stated.
He highlighted that this initiative aligns with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which aims to modernise Saudi Arabia’s transport sector by deploying air taxi technologies, electric cars, and hydrogen trains.
The aerial taxi is one of 32 modern technologies being implemented to assist pilgrims during this year’s Hajj, marking a significant step towards innovative and efficient transportation solutions in the Kingdom.
The country also launched robots patrolling holy sites that could assist tourists in several languages.
Earlier this month, the country announced it would also operate flying taxis in NEOM, the futuristic city under development north of Mecca.
NEOM has been working with German firm Volocopter since 2021 on a joint venture to deploy Volocopter's eVTOL models - the VoloCity for intracity air taxi services, the VoloRegion for intercity flights within NEOM's regions, and the VoloDrone for cargo transport.
Rather than building large runways, NEOM will rely on eVTOLs and establish safe flight corridors over less populated zones as a model for future sustainable cities, Blond added.
So far, NEOM has ordered 15 Volocopter aircraft and invested $175mn in the German firm's funding round in 2022.
