Seagliders to connect Dubai and Abi...

Electric seaplanes heading to UAE to join flying taxis and high-speed passenger trains

Travel connections between UAE tourism hotspots Abu Dhabi and Dubai are set to become more convenient thanks to innovative transport solutions.

In addition to the proposed flying taxi services and a high-speed train, future transportation will include seagliders, aiming to connect the emirates via an exciting travel experience while halving journey times to just 30 minutes, which is sure to have a positive impact on leisure and business travel.

US-based manufacturer Regent says it will build the 12-seater Viceroy seagliders in the UAE.

The all-electric vehicle can travel at speeds up to 290km per hour and cover 290km on a single charge, making them faster than a helicopter and cheaper than a taxi, according to Regent co-founder and CEO Billy Thalheimer speaking at the World Governments Summit 2025 in Dubai.

He said passengers would pay AED165 (US$45) for a one-way trip between Abu Dhabi Marina and Dubai Marina.

The advantages of seagliders
Seagliders only operate over water and are ideal for connecting coastal destinations and islands, and Regent hopes to be operating in the UAE by 2027.

Unlike flying taxis that require vertiports for take off and landing and trains that obviously require extensive infrastructure like tracks and stations, seagliders can use existing docks and marinas.

That’s because seagliders like Viceroy have three modes, including float, foil and fly. At low speeds they float like a boat. Then they rise onto hydrofoils for a faster, smoother ride before cruising like a seaplane just a few metres above the water’s surface.

While not as novel as the flying taxis due to take to the skies above the UAE in 2026, the seagliders have clear benefits when it comes to operating costs, passenger capacity and, crucially, range.

The 290 kilometres range for Viceroy is significantly greater than the stated 160 kilometres for Archer Aviation’s Midnight aircraft being developed for use in Abu Dhabi, which carries four passengers.

In Dubai, the first of four Dubai vertiports is under construction at Dubai International Airport (DXB), with others planned for Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina and the Palm Jumeirah. When complete, Dubai’s air taxis hope to cut journey times between these popular destinations to just 10 minutes. By car, those can take up to an hour during peak times.

Joby’s planned Dubai air taxi network, DXB

Etihad Rail on track for high-speed service
With the UAE intent on becoming one of the first countries in the world to embrace flying taxis (trials begin in May 2025 in the city of Al Ain) and adopt new transport technology including driverless cars and the fully-automated Dubai Metro, it is also turning to a method that has been around for centuries.

Etihad Rail is developing the UAE’s first railway network, with a high-speed passenger service capable of linking Dubai and Abu Dhabi in just 30 minutes at speeds up to 350 kilometres per hour.

Although part of the planned 900km network is already open for freight, no date has been set for the launch of the passenger service.

There will be six stations, with four in Abu Dhabi (at Reem Island, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, and Zayed International Airport) and two in Dubai (close to Al Maktoum Airport and Jaddaf) with the route passing through "key destinations and tourist attractions".

There will also be a slower 200km per hour service that will connect other emirates including Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah (RAK).

This spells good news for tourism across the UAE, opening up new possibilities for upcoming destinations like RAK, which will also have flying taxis by 2027 linking Al Marjan Island, Al Hamra and Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest mountain.

The opening of Wynn Al Marjan Island in 2027 will be the region’s first fully integrated casino resort, and hopes to attract guests by land, air or sea.

For more information, visit pages.dmt.gov.ae/en

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