The idea of flying taxis sounds like something out of a sci-fi film, but they could be coming sooner than you might think. Aviation start-up Volocopter has signed a deal with Dubai’s Roads & Transportation Agency and will begin a five-year trial of a flying cab service at the end of 2017.

As Brazil's emerging middle class continues to rise, consumer habits are changing. A recent survey has indicated a shift in travel habits - with a substantial fall in the number of long-haul bus travellers, and a rise in the number of those choosing to travel by plane.

In the megalopolis of São Paulo, the preferred method of transport is the car – there are more than 5.6 million on the city’s roads. Calls for more cycle lanes have provoked bitter rows both in the streets and in the courts, but start-up Ciclomidia is defying this resistance, carving out a bigger space for cyclists.

With poor public transport and jammed roads, cars are a status symbol in Brazil – and the more powerful, the better. And with 46 million cars, there's nearly one for every four people. But why do people dream of buying a SUV if they'll only drive it to the shop round the corner?