Image credit: David Paul Morris/ Getty Images
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has approved the construction of the city’s first aerial taxi vertiport as it gears up flying taxi services in 2026.
The upcoming air taxi station near Dubai International Airport (DXB) promises to revolutionise urban mobility. By offering passengers a unique, comfortable, and seamless aerial transport experience, Dubai aims to be at the forefront of advanced air mobility.
The 3,100-square-meter vertiport will accommodate takeoffs, landings, aircraft charging, and parking. The state-of-the-art facility is designed to handle around 42,000 landings and 170,000 passengers annually. It will leverage cutting-edge technology to enable efficient takeoffs and landings, ushering in a new era of flying taxis.
Joby Aviation will handle aircraft manufacturing, operations, and passenger movement, while Skyports will oversee infrastructure.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will ensure governance and integration with other transport modes ahead of flying taxi services in Q1 2026.
– #Dubai set to be the world’s first city to launch urban aerial taxi network.
– Vertiport spans 3,100 square metres and features designated zones for take-off and landing, aircraft charging, a dedicated aerial taxi apron, and a parking area.
– Facility has a capacity for… pic.twitter.com/2PgaANtQBr
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) November 12, 2024
“In the initial phase, the aerial taxi service will operate from four strategic locations close to Dubai International Airport, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and Palm Jumeirah. The service provides Dubai residents and visitors with a new, rapid, and secure transport option to key city locations,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director-general, chairman of the board of RTA.
Al Tayer said that a journey from DXB to Palm Jumeirah is anticipated to take around 12 minutes, compared to 45 minutes by car. The service also supports integration with public transport modes and individual transport solutions such as e-scooters and bicycles.
Dubai gears up for flying taxis
Joby applied for a certificate that will allow it to operate commercial air transport in the UAE in September, as the flying taxi firm aims to start operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as early as 2025.
The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft maker signed an agreement with the RTA in February to launch an all-electric air taxi service in Dubai.
Joby also signed a multilateral MoU with Abu Dhabi government entities, including the Department of Municipalities and Transport – Abu Dhabi and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), paving the way for the eVTOL firm to establish and scale up operations in the UAE.
The company’s S4 Aerial taxi is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 322km (200 miles) per hour. The aircraft can cover a journey from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 30 minutes compared to around two hours by car during rush hour.
Other eVTOL players, including Archer Aviation, have signed multi-million dollar framework agreements to accelerate planned commercial air taxi operations in the UAE.
Read: Saudia turns to Germany’s Lilium for flying taxis
