Dubai’s Joby Air Taxi Completed Its Maiden Flight
Credit: Joby Aviation
American company Joby Aviation is preparing to pioneer the launch of a commercial flying taxi service in Dubai, making the UAE the first region in the world with the beginnings of a fully-fledged air taxi network. The first manned flight of Joby’s electric aircraft over Dubai took place in early November, confirming the nearing launch of this revolutionary service.
This flight confirmed the technology’s readiness for commercial use in the same airspace as conventional aircraft and helicopters. Unlike unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the aircraft was piloted by a human and operated according to standard aviation regulations. At the Dubai Airshow 2025, the company will conduct daily demonstration flights in front of tens of thousands of spectators.
For passengers, the main advantage is a radical reduction in travel time. For example, the journey from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah takes about 10 minutes instead of the usual 45 minutes by car. The Joby electric vehicle is battery-powered and produces no emissions. A distributed system of electric motors ensures safety: if one motor fails, the others continue to operate. The technology differs from conventional helicopters in that it uses multiple small propellers instead of a single large rotor, reducing noise and increasing efficiency.
In parallel with the flight tests, Joby and the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the construction of three additional vertiports—dedicated sites for vertical takeoffs and landings. The first station will be located at the Dubai Mall, which welcomed 111 million visitors in 2024 and is located adjacent to the Burj Khalifa. The second will be located at the Atlantis the Royal resort complex in the heart of the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah. The third location will open near the American University of Dubai—an area that straddles the Dubai Marina residential district and the Dubai Internet City business district.
As for the cost of transporting passengers, air travel will cost them the same as a luxury taxi ride, like Uber Black. Booking an electric plane will be just as easy—via an app. In short, using this new mode of transport will be as simple and straightforward for passengers as traveling by car.
