Electric Air Taxis Launching in Dubai by 2026

The three-year time frame to launch electric air taxis in Dubai has been solidified in a new announcement.

The 2026 launch date had been a previous target but now the air stations and design are approved.

“From the World Government Summit today we approved the design of the new air taxi stations in Dubai, which will begin operating within three years,” said Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. 

The Abu Dhabi government also announced that air taxi company eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) company Joby Aviation would join the new smart and autonomous industry (SAVI) cluster.

The cluster provides facilities and services within the regulatory environment to companies to develop advanced technologies, according to the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO).

"Autonomous flight has the potential to unlock important benefits for our customers over the long term,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation. “We welcome the opportunity to participate in the SAVI cluster and look forward to collaborating with the team at ADIO as we work towards our mission of delivering fast, quiet and convenient air taxi service in cities around the world.”

Support by ADIO for Joby would include connecting the company with relevant partners across the Abu Dhabi ecosystem, including regulators, investors and government departments. The cluster provides access to manufacturing facilities, hangars, large-scale workshops and certification facilities.

Related:Electric Air Taxi Flown by Pilots; Flyshare Network Planned

“ADIO looks forward to welcoming Joby Aviation to Abu Dhabi’s SAVI cluster, which is attracting innovators from across the globe,” said Badr Al-Olama, acting director general of ADIO. “Joby Aviation adds further scale and specialization to the cluster and will be a catalyst for the accelerated development of air mobility applications. As the cluster grows, the positive impact on the broader Abu Dhabi economy will be felt in related industries such as manufacturing, software development, logistics and testing and certification.”

Ahead of the United Arab Emirates deployments, Joby has targeted 2025 for the launch of its electric air taxis in the U.S. 

After months of test flying its electric aerial vehicles (EAV) remotely, Joby recently added pilots to the mix. Most of Joby’s EAVs had been piloted remotely from a ground control station.

Joby recently delivered the first eVTOL vehicle to the Air Force at the Edwards Air Force Base in California, believed to be the first eVTOL taxi delivered in the U.S. as part of a $131 million contract between the Department of Defense and Joby.

Related:First Flying Taxi Delivered to Air Force

The Joby eVTOL can carry four passengers and a pilot and fly at speeds of 200 mph, with a maximum range of 100 miles.

Joby recently selected Dayton, Ohio, as the location to build facilities to deliver up to 500 flying vehicles a year.