World's first commercial vertiport opens at Dubai International Airport

The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Skyports Infrastructure has announced the completion of the world's first commercial vertiport. The vertiport is located next to the Dubai International Airport and is now open to eVTOL aircraft. It is considered the first node of Dubai's air taxi network and will act as the primary hub. The building is 3,100 sqm and features two dedicated take-off and landing areas. It includes Joby Aviation's Global Electric Aviation Charging System ("GEACS"), fast charging equipment that Skyport states is central to operating air taxis at an accessible price and essential to the network. The company states the vertiport is capable of handling up to 170,000 passengers annually and up to 42,000 aircraft movements. It can also handle conventional helicopter traffic and uses a hybrid regulatory framework. Passengers will be able to book seats through Joby's app and automatically check in digitally. Additional vertiports are being built at Dubai Marina, Dubai Mall and Palm Jumeirah. "With the world's first commercial vertiport now being in a technical position to take eVTOL flights, we are seeing aviation history in the making," said Duncan Walker, Skyports CEO. "After years of planning and in-depth design, this new class of infrastructure brings together the latest technologies and innovations that will change how people move around their cities." RELATED STORIES: Thousands of travelers stranded due to airspace closures in the Middle East Joby completes piloted electric air taxi flight across San Francisco Bay Joby and Uber announce in-app booking for air taxis Joby will continue its flight-testing program and schedule of trials and public demonstrations. These trials were conducted in collaboration with the RTA, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, General Civil Aviation Authority, and Dubai Air Navigation Services. "The completion of this vertiport by our partners at Skyports Infrastructure marks a major milestone in bringing air taxi service to Dubai," said Anthony El-Khoury, general manager of UAE Joby. "Together with the RTA, we're proud to celebrate this important step and the progress it represents toward launching operations. We look forward to beginning commercial flights and to delivering fast, quiet, and sustainable air travel for Dubai's residents and visitors."