Flying taxis could be launched in Dubai as early as 2026

Feb 14 2023

Dubai plans to launch its “aerial ridesharing” service by 2026, with United Arab Emirates Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum announcing the approval of designs for new air taxi stations across the city.

Renewing its commitment to the flying taxi programme, the services is expected to start operating within three years after being first introduced in 2017.

Joby Aviation, a US aviation company, showcased a six-rotor electric flying taxi in a promotional video tweeted out by the ruler, which includes plans for “vertiports” to connect four main areas of Dubai, enabling smooth end-to-end passenger journeys.

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The firm’s plans include zero operating emissions from vertical take-offs and landings, and the ability to carry one pilot and four passengers, with a top speed of 300km per hour.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said it has been working with leading advanced air mobility companies such as Skyports Infrastructure and Joby Aviation.

The flying taxis have been met with largely, and surprisingly, positive feedback on social media, with users expressing their excitement at the prospect of aerial ridesharing.

While this is not the first time the concept of flying taxis has been introduced to the city, various aircraft and companies have cycled through plans since 2017, often being timed to coincide with Dubai’s annual World Government Summit. Last year, Chinese firm XPeng Aeroht demonstrated its two-seater electric VTOL flying car.

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Maltese surname coats of arms turned into AI portraits

Feb 14 2023

A collaboration between malta_ai and social media page @kunjomijiet (surnames) has turned some of Malta’s surname emblems into picturesque art pieces, blending cutting edge technology with Malta’s heraldic heritage.

Their latest post sees the emblems of surnames Borġ, Cauchi, Camilleri, Galea and Sciberras turned into AI art pieces.

Galea and Sciberras had their surnames personified into majestic warriors, with the former having a Hellenistic style and the latter a Medieval period shining armour.

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Meanwhile, the Camilleri surname took us to a desert environment as the camel emblem took on a life of its own. This was contrasted by Cauchi’s sea deity emblem as the figure holds his leviathan in his arms.

As for Borġ, a massive fortress was erected on a green mound, ready to defend itself against assailants. What do you make of this?

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Naxxar council urges people not to give away unwanted items as donations

Feb 14 2023

A Facebook post uploaded last Sunday by the Naxxar Local Council urges people not to dump their unwanted items as ‘charity’ for earthquake survivors in Turkey.

‘We asked for donations for the earthquake victims but it seems as though some just wanted to get rid of junk’ said the post.

‘What’s worse is that they did not even have the decency to bring them during opening office hours. They placed them in the entrance without any semblance of respect to those wishing to enter the building, including pensioners requiring assistance.’

The local council put a stop to these unnecessary donations, but the post was met with a mixed bag of reactions. Some backed up the local council whereas other criticised the approach taken by the post as demeaning to all those who wanted to contribute in any way that they could.

Yesterday, the Turkish Embassy released a statement to also put an end to clothing and food as donations, instead urging donors to focus on either financial donations or other necessary items such as sleeping bags, gas heaters, mobile toilets or container homes.

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Bolt to introduce new compact ‘traffic-busting’ vehicle in collab with Buzzz Electric

Feb 14 2023

As of a today, a new electric, sustainable and compact vehicle is hitting Malta’s roads Bolt collaborate with Buzzz Electric to test and offer ‘Carver’, a vehicle aiming to solve Malta’s traffic problems.

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The three-wheeled two-seater can reportedly “maneuver through the narrowest streets of Malta because of its compact design”, with a width of under one metre. The vehicle will be available to users as a traffic buster category in the Bolt app and despite being a trike, still features a car’s usual mod-cons including a steering wheel, seatbelts and patented tilting mechanism.

The enclosed vehicle also protects riders from outdoor elements, with its convertible nature allowing riders to make the most of Malta’s season as they zip through Malta’s traffic.

Bolt Ridehailing in Malta Country Manager Ryan Mahoney stated: “At Bolt, our goal is to offer our customers the best use-case for every purpose a personal car serves. With this new category, Bolt will cater to single passengers with cheaper and quicker rides, all whilst being 100% electric. In order to ensure the safety of our riders, these Carver vehicles have been uniquely modified for this specific use in Malta, and all necessary training has been provided to drivers of this new category.”

Would you be open to trying such a vehicle?

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