First-ever self-driving air taxi trial launched in Saudia
Published on: Saturday, June 15, 2024
The air taxi services include transporting pilgrims between the holy sites, facilitating emergency travel, transporting medical equipment, and providing logistical services for the transportation of goods, (Pic: Gulf News)
Kuala Lumpur: Saudi Arabia has recently carried out a self-driving air taxi trial at the holy sites, according to a Saudi Press Agency (SPA) report, quoting the country’s Transport General Authority’s statement.
The trial launched on Wednesday by Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics, Saleh Al-Jasser, who is also General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca) chairman, involved the vertical take-off of the electric air taxi.
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According to the SPA report, the statement noted that it is the “world’s first air taxi to be licensed by a civil aviation authority”.
The air taxi services include transporting pilgrims between the holy sites, facilitating emergency travel, transporting medical equipment, and providing logistical services for the transportation of goods, the report said.
The report quoted Al-Jasser as saying that the initiative is part of the ministry’s efforts to embrace cutting-edge transportation technologies and environment-friendly transportation models powered by artificial intelligence.
Gaca President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej was quoted as saying in the report that the air taxi service would reduce passenger travel time in congested areas, especially during emergencies, facilitate the transportation of goods and medical supplies, and speed up surveillance and inspection tasks through drones.
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