UAE

The manufacturer will collaborate with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and the Emirate’s Department of Municipalities and Transportation.

Both companies are working with Abu Dhabi government agencies to build ecosystems in the city for their respective aircraft.

Vertiports will connect the two cities with estimated 30-minute flights, a fraction of the two hours it can take to drive between them during peak traffic.

Other electric air taxi manufacturers, including Joby competitor Archer Aviation, had previously announced operational agreements to fly in the region in 2026.

The Chinese manufacturer joins Archer, Joby, and other eVTOL firms that have laid plans for operations in the Middle East.

The eVTOL aircraft manufacturer also has a purchase agreement from the U.S. Air Force.

ArcosJet, Lilium’s exclusive authorized dealer in the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Cyprus, will sell the four-seat eVTOL to private customers in the UAE.

The eVTOL manufacturer and new partner InterGlobe will initially offer air taxi services in the Indian cities of Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

The eVTOL manufacturer intends to make the UAE its first international launch market, adding to its projected services in the U.S.

Skyports and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority are aiming for development of a “network of vertiports for air taxi services” beginning in 2026.