Your tube?: RTA and Virgin Hyperloop One unveil pod prototype

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The head of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has argued that the Hyperloop system that is currently under development could "revolutionise" the way people move around the city.

The RTA unveiled a prototype design for the pods for Hyperloop system it is looking to roll out, which is being created by Virgin Hyperloop One - one of two companies that currently have Hyperloop systems under study in the United Arab Emirates.

In a press release announcing the unveiling of the prototype during UAE innovation month, the RTA's chairman and director-general, Matter Al Tayer, said: “When introduced in future, the Hyperloop technology will impact the town planning and the availability of parking spaces. It will revolutionise people mobility between various destinations in the city, logistical hubs like airports & ports, and shipping patterns.”

Hyperloop is a transportation concept that involves pushing capsules containing people or cargo through a sealed tube system that operates in a vacuum, reducing friction, theoretically allowing for speeds of up to 1,200 kilometres per hour to be achieved.

The RTA began working with Virgin Hyperloop One on a feasibiity study into running a system in Dubai in December 2016.

“RTA and Virgin Hyperloop One Company have made considerable progress in the technical, engineering and economic feasibility study of the project," Al Tayer said in the announcement. "Progress made also included identifying the routes for operating the Hyperloop along with its initial design model."

Al Tayer said the system would work on electromagnetic propulsion of capsules through the vacuum tubes, making them capable of travelling between Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 12 minutes.

Rob Lloyd, the chief executive of Virgin Hyperloop One, said: "Our focus in 2018 would be continuing the close collaboration with RTA to progress to the next phase of the project. Our aim would be to explore the viability of a wider UAE Hyperloop network.”

Virgin Hyperloop One has received funding from Dubai's ports operator DP World, among others.

DP World also has an agreement in place with Hyperloop to explore ways of using the system to transport cargo from its Jebel Ali container terminal into an inland port.

Abu Dhabi's Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities has also signed a separate agreement in place to explore a Hyperloop link between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain with a competing system being developed by Hyperloop Transportation Technologies.