Ajman Signs MOU with Skyports for Advanced Air Mobility

Emirate of Ajman, the smallest among the seven in the UAE, became the third city after Dubai and Abu Dhabi to explore cooperation in the field of smart aerial transport including air taxi services in the country.

The Ajman Transport Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MUU) with Skyports Infrastructure, the global leader in vertiport infrastructure for the advanced air mobility (AAM), to this effect on Tuesday.

Through this initiative, Ajman Transport Authority reaffirmed its commitment to keep in pace with global advancements in transport and strengthening the Emirate’s readiness for a smart and sustainable future driven by innovation and strategic partnerships.

The partners pledged to jointly research and develop vertiport facilities, identify suitable locations to build them, conduct feasibility studies, and enhance technical and operational readiness. Ajman views advanced air mobility as an integral part of its “smart city” ambitions, as outlined in the local government’s Ajman Vision 2030 Plan.

The MOU was signed by Director General of Ajman Transport Authority Omar Mohammed Lootah, and Skyports Middle East General Manager Daniel O’Neill thus marking a strategic step toward enhancing the Emirate’s transport ecosystem by adopting integrated and intelligent mobility solutions that meet future needs and align with community aspirations.

The MOU includes areas of cooperation involving studies and research in the development of smart aerial transport infrastructure, identification of suitable locations for essential facilities, enhancement of technical and operational readiness.

Speaking on the occasion, Omar Mohammed Lootah said that the signing of the MoU was part of the Authority’s vision to embrace innovative transport solutions that support Ajman’s transformation into a smart city.

He also emphasised the importance of working with global leaders to develop a safe, advanced, and sustainable transportation network.

Daniel O’Neill expressed appreciation for the partnership with Ajman Transport Authority, noting that the MOU represents a valuable opportunity to collaborate on enabling AAM technologies in Ajman, and developing supporting infrastructure in line with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) recent vertiport regulations.

Vertiport Infrastructure

Skyports is also building vertiport infrastructure in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In January, GACA granted technical design approval for Skyports’ first UAE vertiport facility, located near Dubai International Airport.

The company has been working closely with California-based eVTOL manufacturer Joby Aviation to prepare for the launch of electric air taxi services in Dubai, which could commence before the end of the year. It also recently revealed its proposed design for an Abu Dhabi vertiport.

Joby’s rival eVTOL manufacturer Archer Aviation is also working on plans to launch air taxi services in Abu Dhabi, where it has partnerships with local operator Abu Dhabi Aviation and local infrastructure developers. Both Archer and Joby recently started test flights with their aircraft in the UAE.

Last month the London-based company announced it had completed construction of a vertiport in Oxfordshire, England, where Vertical Aerospace plans to conduct demonstration flights with its VX4 eVTOL air taxi.