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Dubai could introduce flying drone taxis by summer

Dubai could introduce flying drone taxis by summer
Posted at 1:17 PM, Feb 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-14 16:17:03-05

The city of Dubai could soon look like the Jetson's Orbit City if one transportation company has its way.

According to Techcrunch, Dubai could introduce personal automated passenger drones as early as July.

Reports indicate that Dubai would use Ehang 184 drones to shuttle passengers around the city. The drones hold one passenger with a max weight of 220 pounds. The drones run on electric power (a battery with a 23-minute lifespan) and can travel a maximum distance of 31 miles and reach speeds of 100 mph.

The drones are piloted by artificial intelligence and are monitored at a centralized command center. In the event of an emergency, pilots can control the drone remotely.

According to Techcrunch, Dubai is already conducting test flights of the drones across the city.

Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.