California-based Joby Aviation and Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) completed a 17-minute crewed flight from the Jetman Helipad in Margham to Al Maktoum International Airport on 16 November 2025—the first point-to-point eVTOL hop in the Middle East. The demonstration, timed for the Dubai Airshow, carried two pilots and simulated passenger weight.
The prototype Joby S4 reached 180 km/h at 1,500 ft, seamlessly switching from vertical to wing-borne cruise before a quiet final approach over the under-construction vertiport apron at DWC. RTA officials said data will feed into the certification roadmap, targeting limited commercial services on four city routes by Q4 2026.
![Joby Aviation Conducts UAE’s First Crewed eVTOL Flight, Boosting Dubai Air-Taxi Timeline]()
Dubai’s air-taxi consortium—which also includes Skyports, General Electric and Dubai Airports—plans to publish final vertiport design standards in January. Corporates in DIFC and JAFZA are lobbying for early stops to slash airport-city transfer times to 10 minutes.
Industry analysts say the successful flight pressures regional rivals Riyadh and Doha, which have yet to perform crewed eVTOL demos. Insurance underwriters, meanwhile, are seeking clarity on passenger-liability frameworks and maintenance-person-licensing for electric rotorcraft.
The prototype Joby S4 reached 180 km/h at 1,500 ft, seamlessly switching from vertical to wing-borne cruise before a quiet final approach over the under-construction vertiport apron at DWC. RTA officials said data will feed into the certification roadmap, targeting limited commercial services on four city routes by Q4 2026.
Dubai’s air-taxi consortium—which also includes Skyports, General Electric and Dubai Airports—plans to publish final vertiport design standards in January. Corporates in DIFC and JAFZA are lobbying for early stops to slash airport-city transfer times to 10 minutes.
Industry analysts say the successful flight pressures regional rivals Riyadh and Doha, which have yet to perform crewed eVTOL demos. Insurance underwriters, meanwhile, are seeking clarity on passenger-liability frameworks and maintenance-person-licensing for electric rotorcraft.
