14 October 2025
A flying car has completed its first flight in Dubai to mark the start of Gitex, the UAE’s biggest technology exhibition.
Unveiled by Chinese company Xpeng Aeroht, the land-based mother ship and autonomous passenger drone aims to make light work of travelling over mountains or across the toughest coastal terrain. Gitex, an annual event in the emirate, will open at Dubai World Trade Centre on Monday.
A brief flying demonstration over Palm Jumeirah on Sunday evening revealed the vehicle’s capabilities and its potential to be used in an emergency response to crisis situations in remote areas.
Michael Du, vice president of Xpeng Aeroht, said the launch signalled a new era in passenger flight. “Flying by itself is cool and I believe now the era of personal flying is taking off,” he said. People might choose the vehicle to travel between Abu Dhabi and Dubai given the speed of the journey compared to travelling by road, he added.
“Due to the complexity and extended infrastructure needed, flying has yet to enter the daily life of everyone,” Mr Du said. “Today, we are actually standing on the shoulders of four giants; electrical vehicles, intelligent driving, as well as big data and intelligent management.”
The company says it has already received 600 orders for flying cars across the Middle East, taking total global orders beyond 7,000.
A two-seater electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is launched from inside a six-wheeled ground vehicle, which is also capable of recharging the aerial vehicle. While the ground module serves as a transport vehicle and an energy platform, it is also a mobile storage unit allowing for take-off and landing, regardless of challenging terrain or weather.
Source:thenational
