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.