Dubai becomes test zone for 'Star Wars'-like flying car that can reach 220kph


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

A flying ‘hypercar’, capable of reaching a top speed of 220kph at 3,000ft, has been tested in Dubai.

A scaled-down version of the fully electric ‘volar’ eVTOL prototype made the test flight in November, but was only revealed this week by its maker, London-based start-up Bellwether Industries.

eVTOL stands for electric vertical takeoff and lift aircraft.

A video shows the supercar-like vehicle taking off, reaching an altitude of about 13ft and a top speed of 40kph, before making a controlled landing.

We believe that people commuting in the sky is inevitable within the next 10 years
Bellwether Industries

Bellwether Industries said it is working on various projects to improve its prototype, which it has called Antelope.

It was previously on display at several events, including Dubai Airshow 2021, but the footage gives the first indication of how it will fly. The vehicle is not yet ready to fly among the skyscrapers of Dubai, with testing carried out in a desert location, but is designed to navigate such high-rise cities.

The final model will carry four to five people at 3,000ft, reaching a top speed of 220kph.

It is designed to replace private cars and on-demand transport, such as Uber, reducing congestion on the roads.

  • A flying ‘hypercar’, capable of reaching a top speed of 220kph at 3,000ft, has been tested in Dubai.
    A flying ‘hypercar’, capable of reaching a top speed of 220kph at 3,000ft, has been tested in Dubai.
  • A scaled down version of the fully electric ‘volar’ eVTOL prototype made the flight test in November, but was only revealed this week by its maker, a start-up in London.
    A scaled down version of the fully electric ‘volar’ eVTOL prototype made the flight test in November, but was only revealed this week by its maker, a start-up in London.
  • A video shows the supercar-like vehicle taking off, reaching an altitude of about 13ft and a speed of 40kph before making a controlled landing.
    A video shows the supercar-like vehicle taking off, reaching an altitude of about 13ft and a speed of 40kph before making a controlled landing.
  • The final full-scale model will carry four to five people. It is designed to replace private cars and on-demand transport, such as Uber, reducing congestion on the roads.
    The final full-scale model will carry four to five people. It is designed to replace private cars and on-demand transport, such as Uber, reducing congestion on the roads.

The company aims to have the full-size prototype ready and tested by 2023, according to reports.

It expects it will be available for on-demand transport by 2028 and by 2030 for private owners.

“We believe that people commuting in the sky is inevitable within the next 10 years,” the company says.

Bellwether says Volar is “a new category of transport, an urban air mobility aircraft for private use”.

“Our volar will explore all options of intracity travel and the future lifestyle.”

The vehicles will take off and land vertically, be compact, environmentally friendly and include a hidden propulsion system.

The company claims it is the first vehicle of its kind without a large wingspan or exposed blades.

But other types of flying cars are in development.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said urban air mobility vehicles (UAM), like Bellwether’s prototype, envision a “safe and efficient aviation transportation system that will use highly automated aircraft that will operate and transport passengers or cargo at lower altitudes within urban and suburban areas”.

They could be used for inter-city travel, cargo delivery and public transport, as well as for private use, it said.

“The initial UAM ecosystem will utilize existing helicopter infrastructure such as routes, helipads, and air traffic control services, where practicable given the aircraft characteristics.

“Looking toward the future, the FAA is working to identify infrastructure design needs for these aircraft. FAA expects to develop a new vertiport standard in the coming years.”

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg

Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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Countries recognising Palestine

France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra

 

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

Company Profile

Company name: NutriCal

Started: 2019

Founder: Soniya Ashar

Based: Dubai

Industry: Food Technology

Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount

Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia

Total Clients: Over 50

Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

The Lowdown

Us

Director: Jordan Peele

Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss

Rating: 4/5

PROFILE OF INVYGO

Started: 2018

Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo

Based: Dubai

Sector: Transport

Size: 9 employees

Investment: $1,275,000

Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri

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The Breadwinner

Director: Nora Twomey

Starring: Saara Chaudry,  Soma Chhaya,  Laara Sadiq 

Three stars

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Company%20profile
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Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest

Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.

Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.

Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.

Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.

Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.

Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia

ESSENTIALS

The flights 
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes. 
Where to stay 
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.

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Baby Driver

Director: Edgar Wright

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James

Three and a half stars

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It's up to you to go green

Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.

“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”

When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.

He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.

“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.

One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.  

The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.

Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.

But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”

Updated: January 13, 2022, 7:31 AM