Joby Outlines Dubai Air Taxi Plans Ahead of FAA Certification

Company says it could begin Dubai passenger flights before obtaining agency type approval.

Jack Daleo

Monday, November 17, 2025 at 11:21 AM ET

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Jack Daleo

Joby Aviation’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) S4 air taxi conducts testing in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. [Courtesy: Joby Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Joby Aviation successfully completed its first point-to-point eVTOL flight in Dubai and announced new vertiport locations, targeting commercial operations in the UAE by 2026.
Dubai is poised to be an early market for Joby's S4 passenger flights, potentially preceding U.S. commercial launch, through a specific "qualification program" with UAE regulators.
Joby is employing a phased approach in the UAE, including "sandbox testing," and collaborating with both UAE (GCAA) and U.S. (FAA) regulators to accelerate approvals by leveraging testing data across jurisdictions.

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Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi developer Joby Aviation on Monday announced the completion of its first point-to-point flight in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which according to the company could be the first location where its flagship S4 flies with passengers.

Joby flew the S4 earlier this month between its test facility in Margham and Al Maktoum International Airport (OMDW) in Dubai—a 17-minute sortie during which it waded into controlled airspace and pilots communicated with air traffic control (ATC). This week, it will be the only eVTOL to fly at the Dubai Airshow, the company said.