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Joby Aviation to Launch Exclusive Air Taxi Service in the UAE
Joby Aviation will debut the UAE’s first electric air
taxi service in Dubai by 2026, marking a landmark
international expansion with exclusive operational
rights and visionary governmental support.
REBECCA ETORIA
Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY), the California-based pioneer of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has announced a groundbreaking agreement with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services in the Emirate by early 2026—possibly even as early as 2025. Signed during the World Governments Summit in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the agreement grants Joby exclusive rights to operate air taxis in Dubai for six years, propelling the city to the forefront of sustainable urban mobility.
This partnership cements a major international milestone for Joby and for Dubai, positioning the Emirate as a global testbed for fast, clean, and quiet aerial transportation. The RTA will offer a broad array of support mechanisms—financial and operational—to ensure a smooth rollout of Joby’s revolutionary service, which will include four initial vertiport locations: Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and Downtown Dubai. Skyports, Joby’s partner for infrastructure, will design, build, and operate these vertiports, paving the way for seamless takeoff and landing in some of the most iconic areas of the city.
Joby’s aircraft, which made its regional debut at the summit, is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds up to 200 mph. A journey that takes 45 minutes by car—such as from DXB to Palm Jumeirah—can be completed in just 10 minutes via air taxi. These aircraft will be operated directly by Joby, with a focus on delivering an exceptional passenger experience from booking to touchdown. The initiative also integrates into Dubai’s broader public transport strategy, offering a multimodal solution that enhances both convenience and connectivity.
This announcement follows a string of high-profile achievements for Joby. In 2023, it became the first eVTOL company to fly an electric air taxi in New York City airspace. That same year, it began production at its California manufacturing facility and delivered its first aircraft to the U.S. Department of Defense under the Agility Prime program. With over $2 billion raised to date and major backing from Toyota, Delta Air Lines, SK Telecom, Uber, and Baillie Gifford, Joby is widely considered a frontrunner in the race to bring urban air mobility to market.
The UAE launch isn’t just a public demonstration of technical prowess—it’s a comprehensive, government-backed entry into the global mobility space. Joby has established a local operating entity in Dubai and plans to hire locally for its operations team. The company is also exploring opportunities to localize other parts of its global business in the region and recently joined Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster under the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.
In the words of JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, “Today’s landmark agreement delivers on all three ingredients required to successfully launch an air taxi service—a definitive path to operations, well-placed infrastructure supported by dedicated partners, and an aircraft with the capacity and range to deliver meaningful journeys.” His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the RTA, echoed this vision, highlighting the service’s role in enhancing urban mobility and offering a future-forward solution for Dubai’s residents and visitors alike.
As regulators, infrastructure developers, and technology leaders collaborate under a unified vision, the skies above Dubai are poised for transformation. This marks the evolution of urban transportation, where innovation, convenience, and clean technology converge above the skyline With electric rotors whispering above iconic skylines, Joby’s debut in the UAE signals the dawn of a new aerial age.