You can soon avail air taxi service in Dubai
What's the story
Joby Aviation, a leading player in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) industry, has delivered its first production aircraft to Dubai. The company plans to start a commercial air taxi service in the city by early 2026. This delivery marks a major milestone for Joby and the nascent air taxi sector as a whole.
Strategic partnership
Operations will start from 4 vertiports
Dubai has shown a strong commitment to advanced air mobility, signing a six-year exclusive operating agreement with Joby last year. The deal was signed at the World Governments Summit and gives Joby regulatory and financial support from Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA). As per the deal, operations will start from four planned vertiports including Dubai International Airport and Palm Jumeirah.
FAA approval
What about the US?
Along with its Dubai operations, Joby is also making strides in the US. The firm is about to begin a process mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) called Type Inspection Authorization (TIA). This is the final testing stage before commercial operations can begin. Paul Sciarra, chair of Joby's board of directors, said this combination will shift people's perception from "when's it going to show up?" to "it's happening tomorrow."
Specs
A look at Joby's all-electric aircraft
Joby's electric aircraft has six rotors and can seat five people, including the pilot. The vehicle can take off vertically just like a helicopter and then transition into forward flight via tilt rotors. Joby claims it can reach a top speed of 322km/h, go for 241km on a single battery charge, and is 100 times quieter than conventional aircraft.