Aridge Plans to Sell Drive-and-Fly Vehicle in UAE, Citing 600 Gulf Pre-Orders

Tan Wang, Aridge's co-founder and vice-president and general manager of XPENG Design, gave the figures in an interview with Khaleej Times. He said the company must first win certification in China, then have it recognised by UAE aviation regulators, before owners can legally fly.

The product is aimed at individual owners, not the commercial air-taxi services being developed in the UAE by companies such as Joby Aviation. If it is approved, it would bring privately owned electric aircraft into an airspace the UAE has so far been preparing mainly for air-taxi operators.

The Land Aircraft Carrier has two parts: a six-wheeled road vehicle and a two-seat electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft stored in its rear compartment. Owners drive to an approved flying area, where the vehicle opens and lowers the aircraft to the ground, using an air suspension system that adjusts to the surface.

"We use at least seven systems and more than 1,000 parts to build a mechanism. This mechanism can be reconnected and separated just in one-touch operation," Wang said. After a flight, cameras find the aircraft and guide the road vehicle to it, the suspension adjusts the height so the two line up, and the aircraft is loaded back in. Wang said reconnecting takes about four to five minutes.

Because the aircraft travels inside the vehicle, owners would not need to rent hangar space or keep it at an airport. They could park at home, subject to parking and vehicle rules.

Buying the vehicle will not let owners fly wherever they like. Aridge first needs type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Wang said. It would then seek validation from the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority so the aircraft can operate legally in the country. The rules for private operators and approved flying locations in the UAE are still being drawn up.

Aridge has signed an agreement with Ras Al Khaimah to set up a regulatory sandbox for testing under the supervision of UAE aviation authorities. Wang said the company is also willing to share existing infrastructure with other electric aircraft operators, including helicopter landing sites and the vertiports Skyports is building for Joby's air taxi service, rather than build its own network.

Aridge has not given a price or a date for UAE deliveries. Both depend on how quickly the Chinese certification and UAE validation are completed.