Dubai air taxis to begin commercial flights by end-2026

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The air taxi is designed to be both eco-friendly and quiet enough for commercial use in dense urban areas.

The Joby air taxi is designed to be both eco-friendly and quiet enough for commercial use in dense urban areas.

PHOTO: AFP

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DUBAI – Electric air taxis developed by Joby Aviation are set to begin commercial operations in Dubai by the end of 2026, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority chairman Mattar Al Tayer said on Jan 16.

Joby Aviation conducted the first test flight of its fully electric air taxi in the emirate in June 2025, a major milestone in Dubai’s efforts to introduce it into its existing transport networks.

The Joby Aerial Taxi, the flagship electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft developed by the California-based company, can fly distances of up to 160km at speeds reaching 320kmh.

With zero operating emissions, Joby’s air taxi is designed to be both eco-friendly and quiet enough for commercial use in dense urban areas.

In early 2024, Joby signed a contract with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority that awarded the company exclusive rights to operate aerial taxis in the city for the next six years. REUTERS

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