For decades, people have imagined a future where flying cars would dominate cityscapes, seamlessly gliding above traffic-choked streets. That vision—once confined to science fiction—is inching closer to reality as air taxis and urban air corridors become a tangible part of the UAE’s transportation blueprint. 

As cities grow denser and traffic congestion worsens, the skies are opening up as the next frontier for efficient, high-speed travel.

At the heart of this transformation is the development of air corridors, the invisible highways in the sky that will allow air taxis to move passengers and goods seamlessly without disrupting traditional aviation routes. 

But making this vision a reality requires more than just technological advancements—it demands careful planning, regulatory frameworks, and infrastructure development to ensure safety and efficiency. From defining low-altitude airspace management to ensuring constant communication between air taxis and control centers, every detail is being meticulously designed to create a fully functional, autonomous aerial transport system.

To better understand how the UAE is leading the charge in this futuristic mode of travel, The Byteline spoke with Prof. Enrico Natalizio, the Chief Researcher at the Autonomous Robotics Research Center at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII). 

As one of the key figures working on air corridor design, Prof. Natalizio sheds light on the challenges, breakthroughs, and vision behind this aerial revolution. In this interview, he delves into the complexities of integrating air taxis into urban environments, the safety measures being put in place, and what the future of flying transportation truly looks like.

What is the current state of air taxi development, and how soon can we expect to see them integrated into urban transportation systems?

The development is already available to put drones in the sky to transport passengers. It is already safe enough and secure enough, and flights would be possible. However, what is not ready is the regulation of these aircraft. Unlike traditional air travel, air taxis will fly over cities, in crowded places, and at very high frequencies—not just for passenger transport but also for goods delivery.

To address this, countries are working on regulatory frameworks to allow these aircraft to operate safely. Several companies, including some from the UAE, already have the technology ready.

What are the key regulatory and infrastructure challenges that need to be addressed before air taxis can become a mainstream mode of transport in the UAE?

Many technology developers see the UAE as a good place to integrate air taxis due to its pro-technology regulatory approach. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), which regulates both normal aircraft and drones, is working on regulatory frameworks.

A key challenge is infrastructure—countries must build vertiports (landing stations) and design air corridors. Another issue is ensuring the safety of people on the ground and maintaining regulatory coordination with aviation authorities.

Infrastructure includes vertiports, which are designated landing and takeoff stations for air taxis. These could be similar to bus stops, allowing drones to land, pick up passengers, and take off again.

In addition, countries need to develop air corridors, which are designated flight paths for air taxis. These corridors must be strategically planned to avoid obstacles and minimize risks for people on the ground.

Air corridors are determined based on several factors. They must avoid flying over densely populated areas, particularly malls, crowded streets, and skyscrapers.

Positioning vertiports correctly is also crucial. If a straight-line route between two vertiports passes over densely populated areas, alternative placements may be needed to create a safer flight path. Air corridors are determined based on several factors. They must avoid flying over densely populated areas, particularly malls, crowded streets, and skyscrapers.

Then the other thing is that we need to have constant communication from the different aircraft that are flying and the base station and with each other because these are needed for keeping again safe for the passengers that are inside and making things possible and not bringing troubles to the people around.

Weather will also be a major factor in determining flight safety. Some areas are more affected by wind, rain, or extreme temperatures, which could impact air taxi operations. These conditions must be taken into account when designing flight routes and planning air corridors, ensuring safe navigation.

Air taxi services will have multiple operators. To accommodate them, regulations must define how flight frequencies are managed, how routes are allocated, and how companies coordinate their operations. 

Companies will have different goals—some may want faster routes, while others prioritize passenger volume. A structured system will be needed to balance these competing demands fairly.

Then the next step is the operations. So once you have the roads and you have the station where the drones will take off and land, then you need to operate them in a safe way.

After one drone takes off, there must be a designated waiting period before the next drone can depart. Authorities will need to determine safe intervals between flights, define scheduling rules for different operators, and ensure airspace efficiency while maintaining safety. These rules must be developed from scratch, as there are currently no pre-existing air traffic management systems for urban air taxis.

So, I think these three elements are the most relevant: the infrastructure, which is very important, the corridors, and the operations needed at that point.

What factors determine the design and implementation of air corridors for air taxis, and how will they adapt to growing urban air traffic?

Around the world, experts are working to define the best possible air corridor design methodology. This is part of the project that TII is conducting with the GCAA. I can explain the basis of our approach, which may be complemented by additional factors considered globally.

First, we must assess airspace capacity and operational demand, which help determine how many flights can occur and how many flights passengers require. The goal is to strike a balance that prioritizes safety and security while minimizing disruptions.

A second, equally critical factor is ground risk—essentially, assessing how many lives would be at risk if a drone were to fail and fall in a specific area. 

This may sound harsh, but it is an essential consideration to mitigate dangers. Additionally, ground risk assessments must be updated continuously, especially in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where rapid urban development requires regular reassessments of potential hazards.

Another factor is wireless communication performance. As mentioned earlier, connectivity in a given area must be strong enough to support uninterrupted flight operations.

Additionally, instrumental constraints play a role. For example, the absence of GPS in a certain area could significantly impact flight operations. We must ensure GPS reliability and account for external environmental factors, such as sandstorms in the UAE, which could interfere with onboard instruments.

All of these considerations must be carefully evaluated to design the safest and most efficient air corridors possible.

How will air corridors be managed to prevent congestion and ensure seamless integration with existing air traffic systems?

Managing air corridors involves multiple factors and responsibilities. In the UAE, regulatory institutions are working to develop a framework of policies that ensures both effectiveness and safety.

The management of air corridors also depends on the business model. In the UAE, air taxi infrastructure will include airports and designated air corridors, but how these systems will be monetized and regulated is still being determined. 

One possibility is that a single entity could manage airports and air corridors, operating under a common regulatory framework. Another option is to treat air taxi infrastructure as a national asset, allowing multiple stakeholders to operate within it.

Aside from economic considerations, technical factors remain critical. The definition of air corridors is influenced by ground risk, wireless communication stability, and instrumental constraints, such as GPS reliability and environmental conditions.

Ultimately, managing air corridors requires a comprehensive integration of safety measures, operational efficiency, and business strategies. These factors must be harmonized to ensure that flights operate smoothly while preventing congestion and ensuring passenger safety

Given the high costs of development and operation, how can air taxi services be made economically viable and accessible to the general public, rather than just a luxury service?

One thing I can say is that removing people and cars from the streets and introducing air taxis—whether electric or combustion-powered—relies on newer, more sustainable technologies. Over the long run, this mode of transportation is likely to be more environmentally efficient compared to cars, motorcycles, and traditional vehicles.

In terms of accessibility, initially, air taxis may be an elite service available only to a limited number of users. However, like most new technologies, once they become more integrated into society, prices tend to decrease and availability increases.

One reason stakeholders are particularly interested in the UAE is that it provides an opportunity to test market receptivity—how willing customers are to adopt this service and how much they would be willing to pay.

That said, the pricing and business models are still undefined. There is still a need for further assessment to determine how air taxis can be made viable and accessible on a larger scale.

Ultimately, once regulations are clearly established, the cost of operation could become more manageable than other transportation options. The long-term economic viability of air taxis depends on the regulatory framework that is implemented and the business strategies that companies adopt to make them accessible to a broader range of users.

How do air taxis compare to traditional transportation methods in terms of sustainability, and what innovations are being implemented to minimize their environmental footprint?

This is more of my personal opinion than that of an expert, as propulsion and aerospace engineering are separate fields. 

From a technical standpoint, drones and low-altitude passenger aircraft are being developed using newer propulsion technologies, moving away from traditional combustion engines. There is a growing shift towards hydrogen-powered and electric propulsion systems, which makes air taxis inherently more sustainable than conventional aircraft.

Sustainability has been a primary focus from the start, meaning air taxis are designed with environmental impact in mind rather than being adapted from older, less sustainable technologies. This transition will help reduce pollution and create a cleaner mode of transportation compared to cars, motorcycles, and fossil-fuel-powered aircraft.

That said, transportation in its current form is not sustainable. Air taxis should be viewed as part of a larger shift towards greener mobility. Over time, improvements in propulsion systems will make them even more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Once this technology becomes widely adopted, it is likely to spur further innovation, leading to greater efficiency and lower carbon emissions, reinforcing a positive cycle of environmental progress.

Looking ahead, how do you envision the role of air taxis evolving in the next decade?

The idea of flying cars has been a long-standing vision, something that people in the 60s, 70s, and 80s imagined as the future. While it has taken longer than expected, we are now very close to making it a reality.

The technology for air taxis already exists and is more sustainable than traditional transportation. Several business models are being explored, making air taxis an attractive option for users. However, regulations remain a major hurdle.

There is a strong push from industrialized nations, particularly in the US, Europe, and the Middle East, to adopt air taxis as part of a multi-modal transportation system that integrates both aerial and ground-based transit.

The UAE, in particular, is moving faster than other countries due to favorable business conditions, regulatory adaptability, and strong technology infrastructure. I expect commercial air taxi flights for passengers to launch within the next three to four years in the UAE, making it one of the first countries to implement this service.

Widespread adoption, however, may take five to seven more years before air taxis become a mainstream alternative to cars and taxis.

One area where air taxis may take off even faster is goods transportation. Since drones carrying cargo face fewer safety concerns than passenger flights, we are much closer to implementing drone-based delivery systems. This is already happening in China, where drones deliver goods, notify users via SMS, and complete fully automated drop-offs.

Given these developments, the transportation of goods will likely be operational before passenger air taxis, but both will soon become a common part of urban mobility.