Electric flying taxis that are set to take off from a vertiport near Dubai International Airport will require tight regulations and air traffic control that separates these aircraft from passenger planes.
Human expertise will take the lead but there is the potential for artificial intelligence to assist controllers, Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, told The National.
"Clearly, there needs to be segregation between the low-level traffic of air taxis and the established pathways [of commercial aircraft]," he said.
"The airport facilitates take off and landing from quite high altitudes so it's only going to be restricted around the immediate vicinity of the airport and below 2,000 feet. Air taxis will be controlled via a network which will keep them separated."
Clearly there needs to be segregation between the low-level traffic of air taxis and the established pathways of commercial aircraft
Paul Griffiths,
Dubai Airports
Joby Aviation, which aims to begin operations in 2026 for the launch an electric air taxi service in Dubai, will use vertiports, which are being built at four locations. The company announced last week that construction of the first flying station, near Dubai International Airport, had started. It said the vertiport will be able handle 170,000 passengers a year.
The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) will define the overall regulation, corridors and airspace for these operations, but over time the control of these air taxis will be automated within a network, similar to Uber's network, to enable point-to-point journeys, according to Mr Griffiths.
"If you can manage in three dimensions, with height as well as position, you can actually create very efficient networks of corridors for people to move along. The AI and automation is going to transform the capacity of personal mobility in the air," he said.
"If you pursue a policy in the air that is purely automated, where the top technology can take care of the separation and optimisation of the traffic, then actually you end up with a very efficient solution," he said.
"That's probably the way that air taxis are going to become very quick, very convenient, very sustainable and very efficient over a short period of time."
Cutting through congestion
Air taxis will transform personal transport over the next 20 years, according to the airport industry veteran.
"We are going to see dramatic changes in our personal mobility over the next couple of decades and air taxis are just going to be one of those things which become ubiquitous very quickly ... It's nascent technology so there's a great deal of technical innovation going on, so the range and payload of air taxis is going to increase disproportionately over time and that's a very good thing," Mr Griffiths said.
A vertiport for air taxis next to the airport will enable onward travel into the city for tourists and business travellers, allowing them to bypass road traffic to explore the city or reach their appointments more quickly.
"Having a vertiport will give us seamless integration, so that you can arrive say from Europe or Australia on a plane at DXB and then be transported to an adjacent vertiport, then you can jump in an air taxi and miss all the traffic and glide over the city. It's going to be a very exciting development," Mr Griffiths said.
Visitors to Dubai can save time because air taxis will provide more predictable journey times.
"If you're traveling point-to-point with absolutely no obstacles in your path, then you're going to have a quick and convenient journey and you're going to see the city from a unique vista," he said.
"It's the convenience of a helicopter without the huge cost of a helicopter."
Trial to eliminate queues
Dubai International Airport (DXB) and its second hub DWC are together set to handle a record high of 93 million annual passengers in 2024, Mr Griffiths said on Tuesday after operator Dubai Airports released quarterly traffic results. DXB alone is forecast to handle 91.9 million this year.
DXB and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) are currently conducting trials for a new system that will eliminate queues.
"We're trialling with the immigration authorities here the ability to have check-in and immigration processes integrated into a single biometric signature so that we can do away with that particular step," Mr Griffiths said.
"The technology exists but what we need to do is bind all of that tech into a consolidated process so that we're making it as seamless and invisible to the customer as we possibly can."
The idea is to ask passengers for the required travel documentation only once and avoid several checks at different points at the airport.
"When you've brought your ticket, you specify the seat you want, specify your preferences and then you upload all your documentation. The idea is you just do that once at the time you make the commitment to travel and then everything else is seamless," Mr Griffiths said.
"When you arrive at the airport, you just drop off your bag as soon as you step out of your car, train or air taxi and then the next step is to get on the train which takes you directly to your airplane ... Security and immigration will be consolidated into one process that you don't even see."
'Mass immigration system'
The GDRFA is currently testing a new "mass immigration verification" system so that instead of walking through individual gates, passengers will walk through a single corridor that will compare their biometrics against their immigration records," Mr Griffiths said.
"If a green rectangle goes round someone's face, you know that's fine. But if there's a red rectangle around someone's face on the monitor, someone will need to just say, 'can I just ask you a few questions?' So we want to intervene by exception rather than forcing everyone through the same process. It's going to be far less intrusive. But just as secure," he said.
Asked about the timeline for rolling out these new systems, Mr Griffiths said that the airport is "on the cusp" of introducing some changes to the current procedures.
"The facial recognition is already in place. All we have to do is integrate that facial recognition signature behind the scenes so that more than one system can read the biometric data and verification that's been undertaken in a single transaction," he said.
Funneling more people through the airport in half the time, using the same space, will help double the capacity without building any additional infrastructure, he added.
This will help DXB make the most of its physical infrastructure as it approaches the limits of its physical infrastructure. The airport can handle 110 million annual passengers with the use of biometric technology, Mr Griffiths said.
"Our approach is, if we get more passengers, we just halve the processing time, we get happier customers and we get greater capacity from the same space. So it makes perfect business sense and perfect economic sense to do that," he said.
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)
Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)
Playing September 30
Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
Thailand 2 (Dangda 26', Panya 51')
UAE 1 (Mabkhout 45 2')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000, 2,400m
Winner: Recordman, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000, 2,200m
Winner: AF Taraha, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Dhafra, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000, 1,600m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Fernando Jara, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000, 1,600m
Winner: Optimizm, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
MATCH INFO
Mainz 0
RB Leipzig 5 (Werner 11', 48', 75', Poulsen 23', Sabitzer 36')
Man of the Match: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEquestrian%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdullah%20Humaid%20Al%20Muhairi%2C%20Abdullah%20Al%20Marri%2C%20Omar%20Al%20Marzooqi%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Suwaidi%2C%20and%20Ali%20Al%20Karbi%20(four%20to%20be%20selected).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EJudo%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EMen%3A%20Narmandakh%20Bayanmunkh%20(66kg)%2C%20Nugzari%20Tatalashvili%20(81kg)%2C%20Aram%20Grigorian%20(90kg)%2C%20Dzhafar%20Kostoev%20(100kg)%2C%20Magomedomar%20Magomedomarov%20(%2B100kg)%3B%20women's%20Khorloodoi%20Bishrelt%20(52kg).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ECycling%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3ESafia%20Al%20Sayegh%20(women's%20road%20race).%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESwimming%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EMen%3A%20Yousef%20Rashid%20Al%20Matroushi%20(100m%20freestyle)%3B%20women%3A%20Maha%20Abdullah%20Al%20Shehi%20(200m%20freestyle).%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAthletics%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EMaryam%20Mohammed%20Al%20Farsi%20(women's%20100%20metres).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
