UAE’s First Flying Boat to Launch Before Next Years COP28

The UAE signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SeaBubbles at, Dubai International Boat Show 2022, the region’s largest and most-popular leisure marine to create the UAE’s first flying boat.

Inspired by the Emirates’ pearl-diving heritage, the sustainability-focused X-Pearl – a brainchild of innovative French firm SeaBubbles – is powered by a hybrid hydrogen-electric propulsion system and retractable foils, and available for purchase.

The company hopes to have the limited-edition UAE model zipping along Dubai Creek, Dubai Canal, or Abu Dhabi Corniche before next year’s COP28.

The futuristic boat can carry up to 12 passengers and a pilot, making them ideal for a range of water mobility solutions: electric passenger vessel, zero-emission water taxi, VIP shuttle, or even for inter-city transfers.

It also provides a solution for eco-tourism sightseeing tours in protected areas such as the Eastern Mangroves wetland reserves by producing minimal wake and water disturbance.

 

 

 

 

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SeaBubbles’ innovative tech promises a more ecological future courtesy of its hydrogen fuel cells, which generate the electricity supply for the internal systems and propulsion pods, while a battery pack supports it during flight.

This hybrid concept ensures 100% reliance on renewable energy sources, while its foils reduce wetted surface area and thus power usage, leading to a craft 35% more power-efficient than a regular boat. Both the H2 and the X-Pearl can reach speeds of up to 50kph.