Air Chateau, a private aviation operator based in Dubai has signed for 10 flying electric cars from the European mobility solution company, Crisalion Mobility for operating flying taxi services in the UAE in the year 2030.
It can be considered as the first business collaboration between a European firm and a firm in the Middle East region.
Integrity air taxi which is still in its developmental phase is Crisalion’s creation and has the capacity to transport up to five passengers including a pilot; its uses include passenger and cargo urban transport as well as intercity transport. It can go up to a speed of 180km/h with the range on a single charge currently standing at 130km also depending on battery advances.
“Integrity aircraft has an entry into Service in 2030. From that particular point in time, the first units will progress to the customers we have in place as Crisalion Mobility,” he said.
The UAE and KSA are actively penetrating air mobility by implying air taxis as those new modern means of transportation will significantly decrease the time for traveling. Presently, Joby and Archer Aviation are still in development to introduce their flying cars with their UAE counterpart next year.
“Dubai is one of those markets for this sort of new mobility and will be one of our first selections where we are contractually presently with pickups in our helicopters from UHNWI & VVIP We are likewise very privileged and thrilled to have the cooperation of Dubai South & the stakeholders of UAE for making us a part of their vision which could not have been made if not for their support,” said Samir Mohamed, chairman of Air Chateau.
Ahmed said after Dubai, they would target some areas of the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South Asia followed by Europe.
A UAE firm placing an order for 10 Integrityair taxis or eVTOLs at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024 in the UK takes Crisalion’s conditional pre-order book to 125 aircraft in less than one year.
The two firms will collaborate to popularize air taxis in some of the cities within the region with cities such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai being among the first to embrace the services.
The companies said that the agreement could also theme the collaboration on joint projects in Europe.
“This partnership opens not only the door to a tactical region for Crisalion, but will also form part of Air Chateau’s tactic to providing sustainable air travel services to its customers,” said Manuel Heredia, general manager, Crisalion Mobility.
Flying taxis in Dubai: A look at the electric aircraft coming in 2026
Samir Mohamed, chairman of Air Chateau, stated that the launch of air taxis will assuage the burden on legacy ground infrastructure, supplement prevailing transportation networks, and diminish congestion to build a sustainable future.