Today, Wednesday, the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Chairman of the Board of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Engineer Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, launched the self-driving air taxi experience in the holy sites, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The trial was implemented for the first time in the presence of the Chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Mr. Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih, the Director of Public Security, Major General Mohammed Al-Bassami, and several representatives from relevant authorities.
The experience included the vertical takeoff of the electric air taxi, which is the first licensed air taxi in the world by civil aviation authority. The agency added that the services the air taxi can provide include transporting pilgrims between the holy sites, facilitating movement in emergencies, transporting medical equipment, and providing logistics services through freight transport.
The Minister of Transport and Logistics Services stated that the launch of the air taxi experience comes as part of the transport and logistics services system initiative to apply the latest future transport technologies, adopting new and innovative environmentally friendly transport models employing artificial intelligence applications, and supporting the sustainability of the modern transport sector in achieving the objectives of the national transport and logistics strategy under Saudi Vision 2030.
He added that the initiatives and projects of the national transport and logistics strategy aim to employ advanced modern technologies, whether air taxi technologies, electric vehicles, or hydrogen trains, affirming that the ministry is working to enhance smart mobility areas and develop legislations, laws, and regulations that enable the employment of modern technologies, in addition to providing experimental environments to facilitate the introduction of various future transport technologies.
He noted the substantial and unlimited support from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince for the projects and initiatives of the transport and logistics services system.
For his part, Mr. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, the Chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, explained that the civil aviation sector is keen on developing all services in the civil aviation sector according to the guidance of the wise leadership, employing all efforts and capabilities to serve the guests of God, while ensuring integration with the efforts and plans being carried out by various other government entities to provide all facilitation for the guests of God to perform their rituals easily and with tranquility.
The agency continued that the air taxi experience is one of the initiatives of the transport and logistics services system, part of 32 modern technologies being applied during this year's Hajj, as part of the system's efforts to adopt modern technologies to serve the guests of God.
