Abu Dhabi is about to change the game and bring it to the skies with self-driving drone taxis for cruise passengers! In a new venture to literally elevate the tourism scene, AD Ports Group and Advanced Mobility Hub (AMH) have teamed up to launch the UAE’s first trial vertiport for autonomous drone taxis at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal. Imagine hopping on a drone and zooming over the city’s landmarks like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque or the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

With sustainability at its core, the drones are set to be fully electric, carrying between two and five passengers, aiming to give tourists a smart, eco-friendly way to explore. Noura Rashed Al Dhaheri, CEO of Cruise Business at AD Ports Group, is thrilled about this project, saying that this tech will “draw new horizons for cruises” and position Abu Dhabi as a leader in sustainable tourism.

Mohamed Salah, CEO of Multi Level Group, said: “This project is a key element to support smart and sustainable transportation system and ground stations, and this plan aims to enrich the experience of cruise passengers and contribute to enhancing tourism activities in the UAE, by providing air tours to see the tourist attractions in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. This in turn supports increasing the number of tourist nights and creating additional sustainable and non-polluting activities.”

And Abu Dhabi’s not stopping at just scenic flights. If this launch goes well, you could soon see these drones rolling out for everything from logistics to further tourist transportation across the UAE.