Photo: Joby
Another huge win for the Californian eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) maker Joby, one of the most successful and acclaimed in the industry – it secured the exclusive right to operate air taxis in Dubai for a limited period.
As soon as next year, the lucky residents and visitors to Dubai will already start experiencing zero-emission flights aboard a futuristic eVTOL. A flight from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Palm Jumeirah, for instance, will only take ten minutes, compared to the 45 minutes it would take to cover the same route by car, plus the added benefit of zero emissions.
This will only be the beginning of Joby's adventure in UAE. The Californian company has secured the exclusive right to operate electric air taxis in Dubai following a definitive agreement with the local Road and Transport Authority (RTA). Joby will retain this exclusivity for six years, which is huge because these will be the first years of commercial operations for any air taxi in Dubai, giving Joby a trailblazing role.
Infrastructure expert Skyports is another key player in this large-scale project. It's the one who will design the first Dubai vertiports from scratch, build them, and then operate them. The initial phase focuses on four vertiports. Together with RTA and Joby, Skyports selected the launch locations for these initial vertiports at DXB, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Downtown, and Dubai Marina.
Most eVTOL makers have secured orders for their aircraft from various operators across the world, but what makes this agreement unique is that Joby didn't partner with an aviation industry player but with the local authorities. This is a complex collaboration that implies significant support from Dubai's RTA, both financially and operationally. It will also enable Joby to expand its presence in the area. The eVTOL maker has already set up a local operational branch and is planning to add others. Plus, it announced that it will select most of its new operational team locally.
This Dubai exclusivity is yet another major accomplishment for the eVTOL company, which has set multiple industry-firsts in the US. It's linked to the first electric aircraft chargers that will be installed in Southern California and to the first flights of an electric air taxi in New York City.
This historic flight took place in November 2023, when the Joby aircraft took off from the Manhattan heliport. It was a glimpse into what folks in New York can expect starting next year when they’ll have access to air taxi flights to and from airports, thanks to a collaboration between Joby and Delta.
Going back to Dubai, the first air taxi operations are set to kick off as soon as next year and reach full commercial service by 2026.
This will only be the beginning of Joby's adventure in UAE. The Californian company has secured the exclusive right to operate electric air taxis in Dubai following a definitive agreement with the local Road and Transport Authority (RTA). Joby will retain this exclusivity for six years, which is huge because these will be the first years of commercial operations for any air taxi in Dubai, giving Joby a trailblazing role.
Infrastructure expert Skyports is another key player in this large-scale project. It's the one who will design the first Dubai vertiports from scratch, build them, and then operate them. The initial phase focuses on four vertiports. Together with RTA and Joby, Skyports selected the launch locations for these initial vertiports at DXB, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Downtown, and Dubai Marina.
Most eVTOL makers have secured orders for their aircraft from various operators across the world, but what makes this agreement unique is that Joby didn't partner with an aviation industry player but with the local authorities. This is a complex collaboration that implies significant support from Dubai's RTA, both financially and operationally. It will also enable Joby to expand its presence in the area. The eVTOL maker has already set up a local operational branch and is planning to add others. Plus, it announced that it will select most of its new operational team locally.
This Dubai exclusivity is yet another major accomplishment for the eVTOL company, which has set multiple industry-firsts in the US. It's linked to the first electric aircraft chargers that will be installed in Southern California and to the first flights of an electric air taxi in New York City.
This historic flight took place in November 2023, when the Joby aircraft took off from the Manhattan heliport. It was a glimpse into what folks in New York can expect starting next year when they’ll have access to air taxi flights to and from airports, thanks to a collaboration between Joby and Delta.
Going back to Dubai, the first air taxi operations are set to kick off as soon as next year and reach full commercial service by 2026.
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