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Dubai has commenced the test running of air flights in a bid to become the first city in the world to utilize air based taxis.

Designed by German drone firm Volocopter, the flying taxis take the form of a two seater helicopter with as much as eighteen propellers at the top.

It was unmanned for its maiden test run in a ceremony arranged for Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed.

"Implementation would see you using your smartphone, having an app, and ordering a Volocopter to the next voloport near you. The volocopter would come and autonomously pick you up and take you to your destination," CEO Florian Reuter said.

"It already is capable of flying based on GPS tracks today, and we will implement full sense capability, also dealing with unknown obstacles on the way," he added, saying developers aimed to initiate the taxis within five years.

This comes as tech giants including Uber and Airbus are already designing similar taxis due to launch around the same time as Volocopter's.

"Encouraging innovation and adopting the latest technologies contributes not only to the country‘s development but also builds bridges into the future," Sheikh Hamdan said in a statement.