Dubai: Electric ‍air taxis set ⁠to begin commercial operations in popular UAE holiday hotspot by end of this year

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 (100 miles) at speeds reaching 320km/hr (200mph). 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.

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 air taxis featured at Dubai’s Air show last year.

It has been reported that Aerial Taxi Vertiports are coming up at Dubai Airport, Dubai Mall, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Marina. Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, posted on X in June last year: “Dubai has successfully completed the region’s first test flight of the Joby Aerial Taxi. Conducted through a collaboration between the Roads and Transport Authority and Joby Aviation, the test flight marks a major step toward launching full operations next year.

“The all-electric aerial taxi represents a new leap in eco-friendly urban mobility — reducing travel times, enhancing quality of life, and advancing sustainable development. This pioneering initiative is part of the UAE’s broader vision to lead the world in innovation and the deployment of advanced technologies. Our nation's skies have opened to new possibilities, and the best is yet to come.”