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On June 30, Dubai successfully completed the Middle East’s first test flight of the Joby Aerial Taxi. The Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Joby Aviation worked together to carry out the historic test flight. The test flight is a "major step" toward full operations, which are scheduled to begin in 2026.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Executive Council announced the successful test on his official X account.
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“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,” said Sheikh Hamdan.
Paul Sciarra, Executive Chair of Joby, said the successful tests were critical moments for the industry. He highlighted that Joby was on track to start commercial services by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
Sciarra further said that in Dubai, Joby had seen a “real willingness to get new modes of transportation into the ecosystem as quickly as possible”. He emphasized that the start of the tests showed that commercial services were now in sight, “it will happen first in Dubai and then more broadly around the world, very soon.”
Joby Aviation, based in California, claims that its all-electric, vertical take-off and landing aircraft will cut down on travel times, cut emissions, and help create a more sustainable and effective urban transit ecology. The company built the aerial taxi to transport a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph.