Electric air taxis developed by Joby Aviation are set to begin commercial operations in Dubai by the end of this year, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority Chairman Mattar Al Tayer said on Friday.
Joby Aviation conducted the first test flight of its fully electric air taxi in the emirate in June 2025, a major milestone in Dubai’s efforts to introduce them into its existing transport networks. The Joby Aerial Taxi, the flagship electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft developed by the California-based company, can fly distances of up to 160 kilometers at speeds reaching 320km/hr.
With zero operating emissions, Joby’s air taxi is designed to be both eco-friendly and quiet enough for commercial use in dense urban areas. “It will be flying in the city, next to residential areas, and hopefully people will barely notice it,” said Anthony Khoury, Joby’s Regional Operations Lead.
In early 2024, Joby signed a contract with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority that awarded the company exclusive rights to operate aerial taxis in the city for the next six years. The company plans to inaugurate the emirate’s commercial air-taxi service in 2026, with four initial vertiports located at Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Downtown and Dubai Marina.
The RTA confirmed Dubai has completed its first air taxi station near Dubai International Airport, marking a key step toward launching electric air transport services later this year. The facility is designed to support traffic-free urban travel and is expected to handle about 170,000 passengers annually. It spans 3,100 square metres and includes two landing pads, charging systems for electric aircraft, a two-level car park and climate-controlled passenger areas.
Authorities said the service could cut travel time across the city. A trip from the airport to Palm Jumeirah is expected to take about 10 minutes, compared with around 45 minutes by road. “The launch of the air taxi infrastructure marks an important step in adopting new, sustainable modes of transport and strengthening Dubai’s readiness for the decades ahead,” said Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Dubai aims to become the first city in the world to launch a commercial, city-wide electric aerial taxi service and vertiport network. The RTA, in partnership with US-based Joby Aviation, successfully completed the UAE’s first crewed electric vertical take-off and landing flight between two distinct points. The breakthrough flight saw the air taxi lift off from the Dubai Jetman Helipad in Margham and land 17 minutes later at Al Maktoum International Airport, aligning with the Dubai Airshow 2025.
“This is not just a flight test,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Director General of RTA. “It’s the beginning of a new era of clean, fast, and smart mobility solutions.” JoeBen Bevirt, CEO of Joby Aviation, called the moment “a pivotal step” toward integrating aerial taxis into everyday life, starting in Dubai.
The Joby aircraft carries five people, including the pilot, and operates with six rotors that tilt to transition from vertical takeoff to forward flight. It is engineered to be 100 times quieter than traditional helicopters and uses pouch-style lithium-ion batteries expected to last 10,000 flight cycles.
Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of the Public Transport Agency of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, said full commercial operations are expected by the end of 2026. “We aim to be the first city in the world to launch a commercial air taxi service. This is not just a trial. This is a real transport mode that will be integrated into Dubai’s infrastructure,” Bahrozyan said. He added that flights will begin in early 2025, piloted and without passengers, using actual vertiports, before ferrying passengers for a fee toward the end of next year.
The project is backed by an exclusive agreement signed in 2024, giving Joby Aviation six years of operational rights in the emirate. Joby Aviation will supply, operate, and maintain the aircraft, while UK-based Skyports is responsible for constructing the required infrastructure, known as vertiports.
“In aviation, you don’t see transformations like this,” said Didier Papadopoulos, Joby’s President of Original Equipment Manufacturing. Under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, the project aligns with the emirate’s long-term goal to become a global hub for advanced transport technologies.
Commercial operations are expected to begin in 2026, with stations located near Dubai International Airport among the first to go live.
