Travel around Dubai in minutes: How air taxis will speed up your daily commute

Air taxis are no longer a flight of fancy. They will crisscross the Dubai skies in a little over 12 months. A ride from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah should take around 10 minutes instead of 45 by road. That’s what Joby Aviation says.

The California-based company has signed a deal with Dubai’s Road Transport Agency to launch air taxi services in early 2026, but Joby Aviation is targeting initial operations next year. “The agreement between Joby and the RTA for the operation of air taxis grants Joby the exclusive right to operate air taxis in the emirate for six years from the start of operations. The initial network will unlock travel by air taxi between four of Dubai’s most visited locations,” Eric Allison, chief product officer at Joby Aviation, told Gulf News in an interview.

How air taxis will revolutionise travel in Dubai

Air taxis are the latest in Dubai’s efforts to improve public transport and connectivity in the emirate. It is already linked by metro trains, buses, taxis and ferries.

“The air taxi service is part of RTA’s efforts to embrace future transportation technologies and offers a novel and efficient mobility option for Dubai’s residents and visitors, enabling fast, safe, and convenient travel to key city spots,” Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors for RTA, said in a statement.

Commercial air taxi services haven’t started anywhere in the world, although several companies are working on electric Vertical Take off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. That will make RTA’s flying taxis in Dubai the first in the world, allowing visitors to zip across to Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina and Dubai Downtown from Dubai International Airport in quick time. That saves the time and anxiety of being caught in traffic snarls.

A conversation with Joby’s chief product officer

Dubai will be Job Aviation’s first commercial venture to operate air taxis with their eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing) aircraft. The US company will use the Dubai experience to expand their operations to other parts of the world.

“We’re excited to be bringing our technology to the region and laying the groundwork for the expansion of our service across the wider UAE, which we consider to be an excellent potential market for our technology,” Eric Allison, chief product officer at Joby Aviation, said in an interview with Gulf News.

He said Joby would also “explore the possibility of expanding our service across the UAE, and our range would enable inter-emirate flights.”

Here’s the full interview with Allison:

What makes Joby Aviation’s aircraft different from its competitors?

The Joby aircraft was built with 10 years of development, design and testing. We’ve purposefully developed an aircraft that has the right balance of range, speed, payload and, critically, a low noise footprint. Joby’s aircraft is exceptionally quiet when compared to similar aircraft — it is quieter than a conversation when taking off and nearly silent when flying overhead. We believe we have the right aircraft to transform daily transportation and deliver the first meaningful, scalable public air taxi network in the world.

What are the operational plans for Dubai?

Joby has signed a definitive agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services in the emirate by early 2026, with Joby targeting initial operations as early as 2025. The agreement between Joby and the RTA for the operation of air taxis grants Joby the exclusive right to operate air taxis in the emirate for six years from the start of operations.

The initial network will unlock travel by air taxi between four of Dubai’s most visited locations: Dubai International Airport (DXB), Palm Jumeirah, Downtown Dubai and Dubai Marina. Expansion plans for other locations across Dubai are being considered.

We will provide further information about our proposed services in due course, but the aircraft is designed for rapid turnaround, charging in the time taken to offload and board new passengers. Given the short length of journeys, this means many journeys can be completed in a day.

Who are the prospective clients?

The service will be open to the public, just like today’s ground-based ridesharing options. We look forward to delivering fast, efficient and sustainable travel across Dubai as an example to the world of how this new technology can be integrated into existing public transport networks to improve the lives of residents and visitors alike.

Are there plans to set up a manufacturing plant in the UAE?

We don’t have any plans to share at this time. Joby has a pilot production facility in Marina, California, and recently announced plans to build a scaled manufacturing facility in Dayton, Ohio.

Will there be other hubs in the UAE?

While our focus is on delivering an incredible experience for residents and visitors to Dubai, we’re excited to be bringing our technology to the region and laying the groundwork for the expansion of our service across the wider UAE, which we consider to be an excellent potential market for our technology.

Do you intend to fly to other emirates/cities in the UAE?

We are excited to explore the possibility of expanding our service across the UAE, and our range would enable inter-emirate flights, although our announcement contemplates a more dense network within Dubai to begin with.

All you need to know about air taxis

Air taxis are essentially flying cars. Drones, more precisely. Powerful drones that fly higher and faster. They carry people and even freight. Some, like the ones from FlyNow, are autonomous, without pilots.

These are called eVTOL (Electronic Vertical take-off and Landing) aircraft. They land and take off vertically using multiple small rotors. Run on lithium batteries, there are no operating emissions besides maintaining a low noise level that wouldn’t annoy people in the neighbourhood.

The presence of more rotors helps with safety, as the aircraft can continue to fly if a rotor fails. The eVTOL aircraft are environment-friendly, making them an attractive proposition. It’s precisely why flying vehicles are seen as the future of urban transport.

How many passengers can air taxis carry?

Air taxis typically carry fewer than half a dozen passengers. Joby’s eVTOL for Dubai will have a pilot and four passengers.

Why do air taxis matter?

It matters in a bustling city, where roads are gridlocked with peak hour traffic. It’s important for businesses where time is money. The meetings in the corporate world have to go on, and deals closed on time. Every minute matters. In a city like Dubai with a thriving business environment, air taxis will make a huge difference.

What is Joby Aviation?

Joby Aviation is a US-based company chosen by Dubai’s RTA to run a commercial air taxi service in the emirate. It has been developing eVTOLs to operate in cities around the world. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the company received $ 2 billion in funding from Toyota, Delta Air Lines, SK Telecom, Uber and Bailee Gifford. Dubai will be Joby’s first commercial venture, having made their first delivery to the US Air Force. The aircraft, stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, will be flown on base to demonstrate logistics missions.

The main features of Joby’s air taxi

What’s the Dubai deal?

The Dubai agreement gives Joby Aviation the exclusive right to operate air taxis in the emirate for six years. It offers them a variety of support from the RTA, including financial mechanisms, for entry and maturing of service operations in Dubai, a statement said.

How many ports will be there in Dubai?

Joby has signed an agreement with Skyports to design, build and operate four vertiport sites across Dubai — Dubai International Airport (DXB), Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina and Dubai Downtown. After the launch of Dubai’s air taxi service from four locations, Joby, RTA, and Skyports explored ways to expand operations and build more vertiport sites. “Our announcement contemplates a more dense network within Dubai to begin with,” Allison said.

Can air taxis be booked through apps?

Joby Aviation aims to be the Uber of flying taxis; they have partnered with Uber to include the aerial ridesharing service in the Uber app. “The service will be open to the public, just like today’s ground-based ridesharing options,” Allison explained.

What about air safety and air traffic concerns?

Joby Aviation and the RTA are working with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for regulatory approvals. The GCAA regulatory framework builds upon US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) standards with additional testing and analysis, a high level of regulator oversight and an operational review process for continued safety for early operations, a statement from the company said.

In the US, the FAA finalised new rules and an implementation plan last year for introducing air taxi services countrywide in 2028. In Europe, the aviation safety agency released proposed safety rules ahead of eVTOL services for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

How many companies are developing eVTOL vehicles?

Besides Joby Aviation, several companies are developing eVTOL aircraft. Airbus, Archer Aviation, Archer Aviation, Guangzhou EHang, Lift, Lilium, Moog, Piasecki Aircraft Corporation, Vertical Aerospace Group, Volocopter, Wisk, Xti Aircraft Company, General Motors, Vertical Aerospace, Eve Air Mobility, Embraer, Bell, Blade Mobility are working on developing autonomous flying technology for commercial transport. UPS is working with Beta Technologies to test air taxis for cargo in the United Arab Emirates, reports said.

What’s the future of air taxis?

The future is here for air taxis with Volcopter readying to launch passenger services in time for the Paris Olympics. The German company expects to fly French President Emmanuel Macron to the River Seine on July 26 for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Games.

That will be followed by Joby’s first commercial service in Dubai next year, and by 2030 thousands of eVTOLs could be flying above cities, making it the fastest growing mode of public transportation.

A Morgan Stanley Research study said the autonomous urban aircraft market will be worth $1.5 trillion by 2040. By then, more than 430,000 units will be in operation, Frost and Sullivan’s study on urban air mobility said.

Air taxis are no longer limited to the realm of sci-fiction. It’s a modern reality. Get ready for the flight to Palm Jumeirah.