News Desk
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A Joby Aviation electric air taxi flies during Monday's test flight in Dubai, the Middle East's first such test.
Courtesy: HamdanMohammed / X
Partnership with California-based Joby Aviation
Aircraft takes off vertically with zero emissions
Supports UAE's 2050 net-zero emissions goal
Dubai successfully completed the Middle East's first test flight of an electric air taxi on Monday, as the Gulf emirate advances plans to launch commercial aerial ride services next year in what would mark a global first for urban air mobility.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's crown prince and the UAE's deputy prime minister, announced the milestone test flight of a Joby Aviation aircraft on social media, calling it "a new leap in eco-friendly urban mobility — reducing travel times, enhancing quality of life, and advancing sustainable development."
Dubai has successfully completed the region’s first test flight of the Joby Aerial Taxi. Conducted through a collaboration between the Roads and Transport Authority and Joby Aviation, the test flight marks a major step toward launching full operations next year. The all-electric… pic.twitter.com/HPknqvNBwD
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) June 30, 2025
The test involved a collaboration between Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority and California-based Joby Aviation, which develops electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft designed to carry passengers on short urban routes.
Dubai has positioned itself as a testing ground for futuristic transportation technologies, from the world's longest automated metro system to planned hyperloop connections. The emirate has pursued high-profile infrastructure projects as part of broader efforts to diversify the oil-rich UAE's economy and establish the country as an innovation hub.
"This pioneering initiative is part of the UAE’s broader vision to lead the world in innovation and the deployment of advanced technologies," Sheikh Hamdan wrote in his announcement.
Air taxis represent an emerging sector in urban transportation, with several companies worldwide developing electric aircraft that promise to reduce traffic congestion and travel times in major cities. The vehicles take off and land vertically like helicopters but operate more quietly and with zero direct emissions.
If Dubai launches commercial operations as planned in 2026, it would likely become one of the first cities globally to offer regular air taxi services to the public. The timeline reflects Dubai's track record of rapidly implementing ambitious infrastructure projects, from artificial islands to record-breaking skyscrapers.
The announcement reinforces the UAE's commitment to sustainable transportation solutions as the country works toward its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
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