Revealed: Joby operations chief Bonny Simi shares Dubai air taxi plans, flying with eVTOL

Imagine a world where gridlocked streets no longer dictate your schedule. Where the frustration of traffic is nothing more than a distant memory.

No honking. No delays. Just the quiet hum of a battery-powered air taxi whisking you toward your destination faster and smarter.

The future of travel isn’t coming—it’s already here. It's closer than you think, thanks to innovators like Bonny Simi, President of Operations at Joby Aviation, now gearing up to start commercial air taxi flights in Dubai.

With a master's degree in Management Science and Engineering (MS&E) at Stanford, the former Olympian is on a mission to revolutionise air travel, developing cutting-edge, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles.

A whole fleet of futuristic eVTOLs is in the works, with industry giants lining up like eager investors at a gold rush — ready to stake their claim in the skies of tomorrow.

Will their dreams of a slick, speedy, and smog-free city take off or hit turbulence?

In this exclusive interview with Gulf News, Simi shares how Joby is shaping the future of air mobility:

What makes Joby Aviation special?

For one, it has a first-mover advantage, thus making it an eVTOL industry leader. It has solid industrial backing from the likes of Uber and Toyota.

Its pioneering fully electric, zero-emissions aircraft can significantly reduce noise pollution compared to traditional choppers, while being able to operate in urban environments, without requiring runways — only "vertiports".

Joby has also teamed up with Uber (acquiring Uber Elevate) to integrate air taxi services into ride-hailing apps. They also have a contract with the US Air Force, proving the aircraft’s versatility beyond urban mobility.

Joby is among the most advanced companies in the eVTOL race, already performing test flights and progressing toward FAA certification. It aims to launch commercial passenger service by 2025, ahead of many competitors.

"We’re focused on bringing to market a rapid mobility service that will improve the quality of life for everyone — both our customers and residents of the communities we serve," Simi, a former Olympics athlete, told Gulf News.

"Our aircraft is designed with that goal in mind." Simi, a licensed pilot, has earned a Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University.

Joby's eVTOL is dubbed as "a hundred times quieter than a helicopter", while producing zero in-flight emissions.

Passengers, too, will enjoy spacious seating and panoramic views of their city.

Simi also revealed to Gulf News Joby's 2025 plans.

"Starting in Dubai, with plans to expand to other Emirates, we are working with partners like the Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Skyports to create networks of landing locations that will enable passengers to avoid traffic and instead fly where they want to go, saving time and enhancing their travel experience.

"This year, we’ll deliver one of our aircraft to Dubai and carry out the first phase of our in-market operations testing as we prepare to launch our service. We’ll share more about what that service will look and feel like over the course of this year."

How does her background as an athlete and ex-Olympian help her in building a new industry?

"As an Olympian, I learned that anything is possible with enough hard work and determination, and I took that lesson with me when I became an airline pilot, first for United Airlines and then JetBlue Airways."

Leveraging improvements in batteries, software and electric motors, Joby is redefining what’s possible.

"(We are) reimagining our relationship with the sky," said Simi. "We have designed and rigorously tested an aircraft that will deliver an entirely new form of transportation while sharply reducing the acoustic and environmental impact of flight."

For nearly 15 years, Joby has been hard at work to bring its aircraft to market.

This meant solving numerous technology and engineering challenges across testing of many generations of prototype aircraft.

"In the UAE, we’re very pleased to be working directly with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to bring our service to market, including rigorous testing of our aircraft and completing the process to receive our Air Operator Certificate, which we applied for in September of last year."

Simi said they are developing a training programme is comparable to what commercial pilots undergo, using qualified flight simulation training devices.

"We’ll continue to innovate and continuously improve the value of the service we deliver to our customers, and potentially bring future products to the market that can offer even more time savings and travel options."

Below is a timeline highlighting key milestones in her journey: