Eighteen rotors whirl their way into a steady buzz as a pilotless helicopter takes off and soars into the afternoon sky. The world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, rises up behind it.
The flight by the German-made electric Volocopter is the latest in Dubai’s apparent attempt to convert itself into a Middle East version of the Blade Runner – flying taxi cabs darting past skyscrapers, ferrying passengers to destinations across the sheikhdom.
Dubai has already invested in another model of a flying, autonomous taxi, and is working to design regulations about its use. Putting more passengers in the air could help free Dubai of its clogged roadways, besides offering a city that prides itself in its superlatives yet another feather in its cap.
(With inputs from AP)
Video Editor: Sandeep Suman