JOBY AVIATION: CHARTING  NEW FRONTIERS

As the world eagerly anticipates the dawn of air taxi services, Joby’s collaboration with Dubai’s Roads and Transport  Authority (RTA) signals a transformative shift in the city’s transportation paradigm. To delve deeper into Joby’s  groundbreaking initiatives and its vision for urban air mobility, Megha Mary Mathews, had the privilege to be joined  by Bonny Simi, President of Operations at Joby Aviation. 

Can you share more details about Joby  Aviation’s plans to launch electric  air taxi operations in Dubai and how  it aligns with the city’s Smart City  initiatives? 

Joby plans to launch all-electric air taxi  operations in Dubai as soon as 2025.  This would secure Dubai’s role as a  global leader in the adoption of this  revolutionary new technology and  provide another clean opportunity for  travel across the Emirate.” 

What sets Joby Aviation’s eVTOL  aircraft apart from other models,  and what advantages does it offer in  terms of urban transportation and  sustainability?

Joby’s aircraft is the lightest and quietest four passenger eVTOL aircraft in the  market. Joby was the first to complete  the first, second and third stages of  the FAA certification process and was  the first company to fly demonstration  flights of an air taxi in a US city when  it flew in New York last year. Joby’s  market-leading performance includes  its range of 160km and a top speed of  320km/h. Its aircraft is all-electric, with  zero operation emissions. 

How does Joby Aviation plan to ensure  the safety and reliability of its air taxi  service in Dubai, particularly in a  densely populated urban environment?

Traveling by air is the safest form of  transportation and Joby will be working  with the FAA in the US and GCAA in the UAE as the regulators that provide  certification for passenger operations.  Joby’s aircraft has many levels of  redundancy built in, thanks to its electric  propulsion. 

Could you elaborate on the partnership  between Joby Aviation and the RTA  (Roads and Transport Authority) in  Dubai, and how it will facilitate the  integration of air taxis into the city’s  transportation network? 

With an exclusive agreement granting  Joby operational rights in Dubai for six  years, the partnership signals Dubai’s  commitment to advancing sustainable  and efficient urban air mobility  solutions. The agreement includes  robust support from the RTA, including  financial mechanisms, to facilitate the seamless entry and advancement  of air taxi operations in the Emirate.  Strategic collaborations with Skyports  for vertiport construction further  underscore the city’s dedication to  establishing the necessary infrastructure  for air taxi services. Joby’s aircraft,  designed to carry passengers at speeds  of up to 200 miles per hour, promises  to revolutionize intra-city travel,  significantly reducing commute times  compared to traditional modes of transportation.  

Close cooperation between Joby, the RTA, and regulatory authorities ensures  adherence to stringent safety standards  and regulatory requirements, laying  the groundwork for the successful  integration of air taxis into Dubai’s  transportation ecosystem. 

How does Joby Aviation envision the user experience for passengers using its electric air taxi service in Dubai, from booking to boarding and beyond?

Bonny Simi
President of Operations at Joby Aviation

Passengers will book flights using an app, where they will be able to book and pay for their seat. The user experience is designed to be seamless and efficient, delivering passengers to their destinations as smoothly as possible. The aircraft experience is expected to be completely novel, with vertical take-off and large windows providing incredible views of the city below.

Can you discuss the regulatory and logistical challenges Joby Aviation has faced or anticipates facing in operating air taxis in Dubai, and how the company plans to address them?

We are partnered with the RTA and  working closely with the GCAA and  have a clear regulatory path to starting  operations as early as next year. On the  logistical front, we will need to develop  maintenance and operations facilities  (this work is ongoing) and we will need  vertiports to operate from. We are  partnered with Skyports and the RTA  to deliver the initial four nodes of the  network.

What are the potential economic and  environmental benefits of introducing  electric air taxis to Dubai, and how  does Joby Aviation plan to measure and  quantify these impacts? 

We believe that Dubai becoming global  leaders in the adoption of this new  technology will be transformative.  Introducing a new form of transport  allows travellers to experience new  journeys and economic benefits could  include reduced traffic, increased  property values around new transport  nodes and increased revenue for  entertainment sites as tourists and  residents visit new destinations they  might not have otherwise considered. 

What do you envision for the future  of urban air mobility in Dubai and  beyond?

Dubai has the potential to become global leaders in the adoption of this new  technology. We can imagine a future  where our service scales, both across  Dubai and across the wider UAE, for  example connecting Dubai with Abu  Dhabi, a journey that would only take  30 minutes. 

Could you elaborate further on Joby  Aviation’s vision regarding accelerating  Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)  adoption in the UAE and globally? 

oby’s aircraft uses electricity rather  than traditional jet fuel. We believe a  transition to fully clean fuels is important  for the eventual decarbonization of the  aviation sector. Joby also sees a future  role for hydrogen and Joby’s subsidiary  H2Fly recently flew the first liquid  hydrogen electric powered aircraft. 

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