Electric air taxi company Joby Aviation has partnered with the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA) and Skyports Infrastructure to launch a passenger air taxi service network in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) by 2027.
Service is expected to start with an “inter-emirate corridor” connecting Joby’s planned service in Dubai to “landmark hospitality developments” in RAK, including Al Marjan Island. The centrally located island will be the site of the first vertiport for Joby's electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Additional vertiports will be added in phases.
The deal was described as a “significant milestone in advancing innovative and sustainable mobility solutions in the UAE,” with Joby's aircraft able to transport four passengers with a pilot, creating minimal noise and “zero operating emissions.”
The partners noted that the deal speaks to increased demand for transport in RAK and throughout the UAE and said eVTOL transport will result in reduced travel times, potentially getting travelers from Dubai International Airport to Al Marjan Island in under 15 minutes.
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“Our work to deploy an air taxi service in the UAE is becoming a model for how advanced air mobility can reshape transportation systems globally,” said JoeBen Bevirt, CEO and founder of Joby Aviation.
“By bringing together the aircraft, the infrastructure and the regulator from day one, we are creating a clearly defined path to accelerate the launch of commercial air taxi service. We look forward to bringing this new route to life with our partners RAKTA and Skyports, and continue to build on the foundation we’ve laid across the UAE.”
The announcement followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, member of the UAE Supreme Council and ruler of RAK.
Last October, California-based Joby received a $500 million investment from Toyota Motor Company to help with the certification and commercial production of its electric air taxi. Also last year, the company signed the agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority to launch air taxi services in the city in 2026. Additionally, Joby established a partnership with Skyports for the construction and operation of four vertiport sites across Dubai.
Skyports raised over $110 million in Series C funding in April 2024. In 2022, the vertiports owner and operator also secured a deal with SITA to develop biometric and vertiport technology to improve passenger experience.