Joby announces three new Dubai vertiports and operates first point-to-point eVTOL flight in UAE
November 17, 2025
Joby Aviation, the US-based company developing electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) air taxis for commercial passenger service, has announced the construction of three additional vertiports to be added to Dubai’s electric air taxi network.
The announcement was made on Day One of the Dubai Airshow in conjunction with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Skyports Infrastructure, which will collectively be responsible for building the vertiports. The three new sites will include the American University of Dubai, Atlantis the Royal, and the Dubai Mall.
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Three new vertiports on the way for Dubai
According to a Joby statement, the three new vertiports, in conjunction with another already under construction at Dubai International Airport (DXB), “will enable Joby to deliver high-speed, emissions-free connections between some of Dubai’s most high-profile destinations, as part of its six-year exclusive agreement with the RTA to establish air taxi services in the emirate.”
This latest vertiport announcement brings together three major Dubai property developers (Emaar Properties, Atlantis The Royal, and Wasl Asset Management Group) to expand the range of sites for eVTOL operations across the emirate in anticipation of the launch of commercial services in 2026.
Highlighting the importance of the three new vertiport sites chosen, Dubai Mall is described by the Joby statement as “the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination, attracting nearly 111 million visitors in 2024 to its vast array of attractions, such as the Burj Khalifa.
Meanwhile, Atlantis the Royal is “a global landmark resort located at the centre of Palm Jumeirah, offering unmatched connectivity to premier beachfront destinations, world-class dining, and entertainment.”
Lastly, “the American University of Dubai is strategically located to serve both Dubai Marina’s vibrant residential and entertainment hub and Dubai Internet City’s leading technology and corporate districts.”
Construction of the first vertiport at Dubai Airport is already well underway, with the facility due to be fully completed and ready for use by the end of the first quarter of 2026.
First eVTOL point-to-point flight in the UAE
Also announced at Dubai Airshow, Joby revealed that it had successfully completed a landmark flight test across Dubai, becoming the first eVTOL developer to conduct a point-to-point flight in the UAE.
On Sunday, 9 November, just a week before the Airshow began, Joby landed its aircraft at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) following a 17-minute piloted flight from its test facility in Margham, a site located some 35 miles (55km) east of Dubai city.
Additionally, Joby’s air taxi demonstrator will be carrying out public demonstration flights each day of the week-long Dubai Airshow itself.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), stated that “the successful completion of the first crewed flight of the electric aerial taxi marks a new milestone in Dubai’s distinguished record of leadership and innovation.”
“The successful completion by Joby Aviation of the first air taxi flight between two distinct locations underscores the success of RTA’s operational framework for developing Dubai’s aerial mobility ecosystem.”
“This milestone paves the way for a new phase of integration among smart mobility systems across the emirate, further strengthening the confidence of global partners in Dubai’s regulatory and technological environment and establishing it as a leading global platform for future mobility trials,” he added.
“RTA is steadily progressing towards the commercial launch of the aerial taxi service in 2026, solidifying Dubai’s position as the city of the future and a global hub for innovative and sustainable urban mobility solutions, combining efficient infrastructure with a high quality of life.”
JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, added that his company was making “incredible progress” on all fronts as Joby looks ahead to the official launch of commercial passenger service in Dubai in 2026.
“By working alongside the RTA, other government agencies and infrastructure partners, we’ve been able to streamline development of the world’s first air taxi service and are closer than ever to making urban air transport an everyday reality for residents and visitors across the UAE,” he said.
Joby’s accelerated activities in 2025
Joby’s development plans have taken an accelerated approach throughout 2025 as its eVTOL aircraft prepares for its entry into service in 2026.
Joby’s aircraft is designed to carry a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h). With Joby’s eVTOL aircraft already well down the path toward certification, the company has recognised that getting the public on side is as important as the aircraft being certified to fly them.
To that end, Joby has been exposing its development aircraft to as many people as it can through appearances at key events where the aircraft’s abilities can be showcased to as wide an audience as possible.
In August, the company successfully operated one of its demonstrator aircraft alongside other aircraft in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controlled airspace by completing its first flight between two US airports – Marina (OAR) and Monterey (MRY), both located in the state of California.
Joby said at the time that the pioneering time of flight between the two airfields was approximately 12 minutes over ten nautical miles, including five minutes in a holding pattern at Monterey Airport for air traffic spacing.
The piloted flight included a vertical take-off, transition to wing-borne horizontal flight, integration into the controlled airspace around Monterey, and vertical landing.
In September, Joby partnered with Japan’s All Nippon Airways to complete a series of public demonstration flights at the Expo 2025 event being held in Osaka, Japan.
The flights, which the company claims were the first of its kind at a world expo, included vertical take-off, full transition to wingborne flight, and vertical landing at the Expo’s purpose-built vertiport.
The demonstration aircraft involved wore a specially applied ANA livery for the flights, highlighting the partnership between the two companies. The show itself is estimated to have attracted up to 200,000 visitors per day.
The flights, conducted in front of hundreds of members of the public attending the Expo, were conducted as part of Joby and ANA’s plan to build a national air taxi ecosystem in Japan.
Also, in the Middle East and as recently as 12 November, Joby signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to accelerate the deployment of Joby’s eVTOL aircraft in the Kingdom, increasing Joby’s exposure in the region even further
Increasing public awareness of eVTOl operations
All of the demonstration flights, including the latest across Dubai and those that will take place at the Dubai Airshow, are designed to “underscore Joby’s commercial market readiness and ability to operate in shared airspace,” said the company statement.
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Featured image: Joby Aviation
