Is Saudi Arabia getting an air taxi service this November?
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It’s no secret that traffic in Riyadh is its own kind of nuisance. To offer a solution, Saudi Arabia is currently in talks with China’s Ehang to bring air taxis to the country (yes, you read that right). We may be seeing air taxis in Saudi Arabia as early as this November.
According to The National, tech companies Front End, Ehang and Cluster2 (which actually operate 22 airports across the country) have signed an initial agreement to use the vehicles for passenger transport and logistics, according to a statement on Tuesday from Khobar-based Front End.
When speaking to the publication, Majid Alghaslan, chairman and chief executive of Front End, said: “We will begin this November with passenger rides – a historic step that will mark the first time these aircraft are carrying paying customers in the Kingdom.”
After which, in 2026 and 2027, operations will gradually expand across the Cluster2 airport network and beyond to build an advanced air mobility system countrywide.
The company’s launch passenger vehicle is the Ehang EH216-S. This two-seat, fully electric, pilotless air taxi has already received a type certification in China from the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
The move is part of Saudi Arabia’s plans to develop its aviation sector to become a global player, with advanced air mobility one of the main cornerstones of that strategy.
Last year in June, the partnership between Front End and Ehang saw the successful trials of an unmanned air taxi in Makkah during Hajj season.
Visit: ehang.com
