THE VOLOCOPTER WILL TAKE TO THE SKIES IN DUBAI LATER THIS YEAR!

The Volocopter, which is a German aviation startup formerly known as the E-Volo, just announced that it inked a deal with Dubai's Road and Transport Authority to begin testing the 18-rotor multi-copter as part of a flying taxi service later this year. The city will be a testing ground for some of the transportation of the world's more futuristic and outlandish ideas. 

The experiment will start in the fourth quarter of 2017 and is scheduled to last five years under the agreement of the RTA. The Volocopter has a maximum range of 17 miles when flying at a speed of 43mph, the maximum flight time is 27 minutes at an optimal cruise speed of 31mph, but if the range were no concern, the Volocopter can fly at a maximum speed of 62mph. 

The Volocopter won't be the only flying service buzzing through Dubai's airspace, the RTA also struck a deal with the Chinese drone company Ehang to test its single-person quadcopter as a transit alternative. Dubai is also working with the LA-based startup Hyperloop One to build the world's first passenger-ready hyperloop.