Air taxis could take off from Dubai as early as 2026. An agreement announced on Tuesday is all set to introduce the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) touristic flights from the Atlantis, The Palm.

A subsidiary of Eve Holding and Falcon Aviation Services had signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for up to 35 eVTOL aircraft. The deliveries are expected to start in 2026.

Eve and Falcon will work with the local stakeholders and authorities to support developing the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem for the UAE.

Captain Ramandeep Oberoi, chief operating officer of Falcon, said: “We are ecstatic to partner with Eve and be the first operator of eVTOL in Dubai and the Mena region. The launch of this concept fully aligns with the Smart Dubai vision and will contribute to positioning Dubai as a global leader in sustainable UAM transportation.”

Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve, said the agreement will help to position Dubai as a leader in the UAM market.

Air taxis are the next big thing in Dubai. In January 2022, London-based startup Bellwether Industries announced that it had completed testing its fully-electric volar eVTOL prototype in Dubai. It also released the footage of the hypercar model taking to the skies.

Earlier this year, a Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) forum discussed traffic rules for driverless flying taxis in Dubai.

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