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The first electric air taxi to fly in the Big Apple is now going exclusive in Dubai.
Joby Aviation announced on Monday that it has inked a deal with Dubai's Road and Transport Authority to launch air taxi services there within two years, if not sooner.
The company said the agreement gives Joby an exclusive for air taxi operation for six years while putting Dubai at the forefront of the emerging next-gen aviation technology.
"(The) landmark agreement delivers on all three ingredients required to successfully launch an air taxi service - a definitive path to operations, well-placed infrastructure supported by dedicated partners, and an aircraft with the capacity and range to deliver meaningful journeys," said Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt. "We're looking forward to delivering an incredible experience for residents and visitors to Dubai as early as 2025 and we're excited to be laying the groundwork for the expansion of our service across the wider UAE."
Joby also finished a deal with Skyports to design, build and operate four vertiport sites at Dubai International Airport (DXB), Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina and Dubai Downtown as launch locations.
The company plans for its aircraft to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. Services in Dubai will be operated by the company, which says a trip Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah will take 10 minutes, compared with 45 minutes by car.
The regulatory framework of the deal builds upon FAA standards, Joby said in a statement, with additional company testing and analysis alongside a high level of regulatory oversight and an ongoing operational review process for safety.
Joby is now ramping up hiring to build a team in the region.RELATED STORIES:Archer, Joby progress toward FAA certification Joby prototype lost prop blade, exceeded operating conditions before 2022 crash Flying cars and electric jets- what will the future of aviation look like?In November Joby's aircraft became the first electric air taxi to fly in New York City, after opening its initial manufacturing facility in California in June and delivering the first electric air taxi to the U.S. Department of Defense in September.
The company announced deals at the start of the year to partner with Atlantic Aviation and Clay Lacy to install charging stations at airports in New York and Southern California. Last week, the company announced it had received a Part 145 repair certificate from the FAA.