Passenger Drones Will Begin Flying Over Dubai This Summer Welcome to the age of Personal Flying Vehicles.

By Andrew Dalton

This story originally appeared on Engadget

STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images via engadget
The Ehang 184 at the World Government Summit.

The single-rider, human-sized quadcopter that whipped CES 2016 into a frenzy could be carrying passengers as early as this summer. As the head of Dubai's Roads and Transportation Agency announced at the World Government summit yesterday, the Chinese EHang 184 passenger drone will begin "regular operations" around the futuristic city in July of 2017.

In fact, as the Associated Press reports, the EHang 184 has already been zipping around Dubai's Burj Al-Arab skyscraper, which happens to have a helipad floating a dizzying 689 feet off the ground. "This is not only a model," Roads and Transportation chief Mattar al-Tayer said. "We have actually experimented with this vehicle flying in Dubai's skies."

Since al-Tayer didn't elaborate, it's currently unclear whether any of those flights actually carried a real person, but it sounds like the Personal Flying Vehicle's specs have gotten some slight performance upgrades since we last saw it on the floor in Las Vegas. The AP reports the PFV now has a half-hour flight time with about 31 miles of range, but passenger capacity is still limited to one 260-pound person and single small suitcase. Since the vehicle is autonomous, the passenger only needs to punch in their destination and strap in before take-off. From there, the 184 will communicate via 4G wireless network with a control room on the ground similar to the one EHang showed Engadget late last year.

While the crown jewel of the United Arab Emirates will get to claim bragging rights as the first city to unleash flying passenger drones, officials in Nevada are also seeking the FAA's approval on the EHang 184 -- so we might see EHang back at CES with a real, flying product sooner than expected.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

7 AI Tools That Help You Build a One-Person Business — and Make Money While You Sleep

Who needs a team? These seven AI tools let you automate everything, scale like a beast and reclaim your time.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Money & Finance

Make Money on Autopilot With These 5 Smart Passive Income Ideas

Five innovative ways to earn money even when you're sleeping.

Health & Wellness

Defining Your Values Is the Most Important Decision You Can Make — and One AI Can't Make For You

Fulfillment, not productivity, is the real challenge of the future.

Devices

Boost Productivity With This Adjustable Stand With Port Hub for Just $100

You'll be amazed at how much more comfortable and productive you can be with this attractive, lightweight stand and its eight connected ports.