The Dubai-based company Aviterra has placed an order for over 100 flying cars which will take residents from door to door when it is launched in 2025-26.
Owned by private jet charter Jetex, Aviterra ordered two-seater PAL-V’s Liberty flying cars to offer last-mile solutions to residents.
Mouhanad Wadaa, managing director of Aviterra, said it’s a full car which people can park in the parking lot or villa.
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“You will be able to drive it on land and you’ll be able to turn this car into a flying vehicle within 2 minutes. It needs a 120-metre strip to be able to take off and will fly up to 11,000 feet high. Upon landing, you can drive like a normal car to your home or destination. It will use the same fuel that is used for regular cars. So it’s driving a car on an aircraft engine on the road,” Wadaa told Khaleej Times in an interview.
The PAL-V Liberty, known as the world’s first real flying car due to the combination of a gyroplane and a car, addresses the need to travel independent from congested roads and enhance travel flexibility. With a flight range of 500 km and a maximum airspeed of 180 km/h, Liberty shortens commute and travel times.
Loggia Investment, the investment arm of Aviterra, has made a strategic investment in PAL-V and established partnerships for the Middle East and Africa region.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are taking the lead in embracing last-mile mobility solutions. Recently, Dubai signed a deal with the US-based Joby Aviation to operate air taxis in Dubai for six years. The US-based Archer and UAE’s Falcon Aviation also signed a deal to build vertiports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to operate flying vehicles.
Who will fly in it first?
Wadaa revealed that flying cars will initially be used for private and government use.
He added that people will be trained for a couple of months before they are able to drive and fly it.
“We need to be sure that people are well trained and they should be private pilot licence holders,” he said, adding that this vehicle is in the last mile certification process.
“We are expecting it to be initially rolled out at 2025-end or 2026, subject to final certification from the General Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE. It will get certified by the International Air Transport Association (Iata) and European Aviation Safety Agency and then we’ll work with the UAE government to get it certified based on the certification from the European authority.”
While replying to a comment on the cost, he added that this vehicle is going to cost almost 10 per cent of a helicopter ride and operational cost will also be 10 per cent of a helicopter.