First-ever passenger-carrying drone takes flight in Abu Dhabi
- The first passenger-carrying drone trials took off in Abu Dhabi
- The two flights happened during the first-ever Abu Dhabi Mobility Week
- It demonstrated the kingdom’s dedication to cutting-edge technology
Published on Jun 10, 2024 at 6:33 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Jun 13, 2024 at 6:27 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
History has been made as the Middle East’s first passenger-carrying drone trials took off in Abu Dhabi during the first-ever Abu Dhabi Mobility Week.
Held from April 24 until May 1 2024, two test flights demonstrated the kingdom’s dedication to cutting-edge technology.
The Multi Level Group (MLG), who was behind the demos in association with Abu Dhabi Mobility, was able to showcase both their versatility and innovation in their Autonomous Aerial Vehicles.
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In fact, MLG is pioneering in the field of advanced automation and digital transformation solutions.
Abu Dhabi’s passenger-carrying drone
Abu Dhabi is making serious efforts to shape a world-leading future of smart and sustainable mobility.
As such, they’ve developed an integrated ecosystem across land, air, and sea.
So it makes sense that Abu Dhabi Mobility Week saw the first passenger-carrying drone trials in the Middle East.
The passenger-carrying drones that took off
The first test flight was taken by a five-seater drone.
It can fly just over 25 km (15.5 m), with a payload of up to 350 kg (772 lb).
The flight lasted for 40 minutes and covered 123 km (76 m), which is the longest recorded drone flight.
Number two, meanwhile, saw a small two-passenger drone taking the skies.
It’s capable of carrying two passengers up to 35 km (22 m) for 20 minutes.
In similar news, this bizarre flying car jet pack hybrid has taken off in Tokyo.
Abu Dhabi is using its advanced infrastructure in the field of AI tech, championing smart and autonomous vehicles.
It was also the first-ever eVTOL flying event in Al Ain City.
Mohamed Hamad Al Dhaheri, a Board Member of MLG, was aboard the demo flight of the fully autonomous intra-city eVTOL.
“Being part of this historic moment is truly exhilarating,” he said.
“The seamless integration of technology and aviation represents a significant leap forward for our nation, and as an Emirati, I am proud to be a part of it.”
Chinese eVTOL maker, EHang, has also made huge progress in the race to get autonomous flying taxis into the air.
What’s more, these are the other coolest flying cars on the horizon for 2025.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
