DUBAI, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates, known for its opulent cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi, has begun mapping air corridors for air taxis and cargo drones, its civil aviation authority said in a statement on Thursday.

The oil and gas-rich country has sought to distinguish itself in the Middle East as a high-tech, forward-looking society, with Dubai starting to test two-seater, propeller-topped flying taxis made by Germany's Volocopter in 2017.

In September, U.S.-based air-taxi maker Joby Aviation JOBY.N said it had applied for a certificate that will allow it to operate commercial air transport in the UAE.

"Air corridor mapping for piloted and autonomous air taxis and drones is a crucial milestone that will enable the seamless implementation of advanced air mobility into the UAE's

infrastructure," said civil aviation authority director Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi.

The UAE's civil aviation authority said the aerial corridors and regulations were set to be defined within the next 20 months.

UAE official news agency WAM has reported that air taxis are expected to start flying in 2026.

The civil aviation authority is developing the mapping in partnership with the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a global advanced technology research center based in Abu Dhabi, and ASPIRE, a UAE research and development funding organisation, according to the authority.

(Reporting by Yousef Saba, Writing by Nayera Abdallah, Editing by Aidan Lewis)

((Nayera.Abdallah@thomsonreuters.com;))