Joby Air Taxi Takes Test Flight in Dubai

The Joby Aerial Taxi on Monday staged a test flight for the world’s first self-flying taxi service, set to be introduced by Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA). The two-seater AAT is capable of transporting people without human intervention or a pilot.

In an announcement on X, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, who witnessed the test flight, said that Dubai has successfully completed the region’s first test flight of the Joby Aerial Taxi.

Conducted through a collaboration between Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Joby Aviation, the test flight marks a major step toward launching full operations next year, he said.

The all-electric aerial taxi represents a new leap in eco-friendly urban mobility, reducing travel times, enhancing quality of life, and advancing sustainable development, he said.

“This pioneering initiative is part of the UAE’s broader vision to lead the world in innovation and the deployment of advanced technologies. Our nation’s skies have opened to new possibilities, and the best is yet to come,” the Crown Prince said.

H H Sheikh Hamdan further stressed the importance of the transportation sector, which he said is a vital driver of the development process and an indicator of the level of advancement of the nation.

Unique Features

Director-General and Chairman of the RTA Mattar Al Tayer said that the AAT has a variety of unique features that include top security and safety standards, and multiple redundancies in all critical components such as propellers, motors, power source, electronics and flight controls.

“It is also fitted with optional emergency parachutes, nine independent battery systems, and a battery quick-charge and plug-in system, which takes two hours to reach full charge in the prototype version, a time that will be significantly reduced in the production version,” Al Tayer added.

The Volocopter AAT is powered by clean electricity and features low noise levels.  Its current prototype version has a maximum flight time of approximately 30 minutes at a cruise speed of 50 km/h, and a maximum airspeed of 100 km/h.

All these features will evolve in the production vehicles. The AAT measures about two metres in height, and the diameter of the rotor rim, including propellers, is just over seven metres.

Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter said that it is already is capable of flying based on GPS tracks today, and they will implement full sense capability, also dealing with unknown obstacles on the way. The developers aim to initiate the taxis within five years, he said.

Bookings Through Mobility App

The flying taxi service will be made available to the public through a smart mobility app. The app will allow customers to book flights, receive booking reference details and track the route of the taxi.

Over the next five years, the RTA will collaborate with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that the operational requirements for implementing AAT services are put in place.

These requirements include developing laws and policies governing certification of the aircraft and AAT operations at an Emirate and Federal level, defining aerial routes and corridors, designing and locating take-off and landing points, setting standards for official operators of AAT services in Dubai, identifying the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, and specifying security and safety standards for the AAT.

Al Tayer revealed that the RTA has appointed US-based JDA Aviation Company, an autonomous air-vehicle safety specialist, to oversee preparations for AAT flights and manage safety.

The trial operations and the process of developing legislation for this type of vehicles will stretch across five years, during which comprehensive operational, security and safety measures will be put in place, he added.