is transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.
Joby Aviation is getting ready to take flight.
The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company has delivered its first production aircraft to Dubai, where it plans to launch a commercial air taxi service in early 2026. Joby, which has successfully completed multiple flight tests with a pilot onboard, says it has begun in-market testing ahead of the anticipated launch of commercial operations.
It’s a significant milestone for Joby, which has been developing the technology to power its multi-rotor aircraft since 2009. And its a significant milestone for the fledgling air taxi sector, which has been leaning on hype and promises for the future of air travel to attract investors and potential clients while its aircraft trudge through years of safety testing and certification.
Dubai is aiming to become a launchpad for advanced air mobility, granting Joby a six-year exclusive operating agreement last year. The agreement, signed at the World Governments Summit, provides Joby with regulatory and financial support from Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA). The company has said it will begin operations from four planned vertiports, including Dubai International Airport and Palm Jumeirah.
It’s a significant milestone for Joby, which has been developing the technology to power its multi-rotor aircraft since 2009.
In addition to the delivery in Dubai, Joby is also making progress here in the United States. The company is about to begin a process mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration called Type Inspection Authorization (TIA), in which the FAA sends its own pilots to test out Joby’s aircraft. TIA signals the final stage of testing before commercial passenger operations can begin.
“In my view,” said Paul Sciarra, chair of Joby’s board of directors, in an interview, “this combination — both the beginnings of commercial service in a big international city, plus the real last lap of the certification program — I think are going to be the two things that gear shifts this in people’s mind from, ‘Gosh, this is awesome, like, when’s it going to show up?’ to ‘Holy crap, it’s happening tomorrow.’”
In addition to test flights, the company plans on conducting a series of demonstration flights along the routes it plans on flying. Then it will shift to commercial trips by the end of this year or early next, he said.
Sciarra also said the environmental conditions in Dubai present a unique challenge, with average temperatures usually around 110 degrees. Maintaining reliable air conditioning in the aircraft will be crucial for passenger comfort, he said. And there are a lot more “boxes to check” before commercial flights can commence, including training on-the-ground mechanics and flight crews.
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