This week at DRIFTx, Joby Aviation, Inc., a company developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, signed a multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three Abu Dhabi government departments.
This MoU with the Department of Municipalities and Transport – Abu Dhabi (DMT), the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (DED), and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) lays the groundwork for Joby to establish and scale air taxi services in Abu Dhabi and beyond, it was shared.
Further, the agreement reportedly also unlocks the potential for inter-emirate air taxi services, for example, between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation, said: “Today’s agreement demonstrates the incredible momentum there is behind the adoption of clean flight across the UAE. We’re looking forward to delivering a fantastic experience for our future customers in Abu Dhabi and we’re excited to be unlocking the potential for zero-emissions flight between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.”
Joby’s aircraft was on display for the first time in Abu Dhabi at the DRIFTx event in Yas Marina, and designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour (321 km/h) with zero operating emissions and a low acoustic footprint.
It has a maximum range of 100 miles (161 km), with a journey from Abu Dhabi to Dubai taking around 30 minutes compared with around two hours by car during rush hour.
The company shared that it has also been working closely with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE to define a path to support the region in becoming a world leader in air taxis.
The GCAA regulatory framework builds upon FAA standards with additional company testing and analysis, a high level of regulatory oversight, and an ongoing review process to ensure safety for early operations.
Inter-emirate travel would require additional approval from the GCAA.
His Excellency Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of DMT, commented: “Abu Dhabi aims to spearhead the advancement and implementation of the next era of advanced mobility solutions. Through the Emirate’s SAVI cluster and this visionary partnership with Joby, we are not only laying the foundation for cutting-edge air taxi services but also shaping the future of transportation; igniting a journey where the sky is no longer the limit, but the beginning of endless possibilities. We look forward to seeing their innovative aircrafts take-off from the UAE capital, offering the world a glimpse, through Abu Dhabi, of what the future of mobility looks like.”
His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, added: “The development of an advanced industrial and manufacturing base is a core driver of Abu Dhabi’s ‘economic diversification 2.0’ agenda as outlined by the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy (ADIS), which is strengthening the Emirate’s position as the region’s most competitive industrial hub by increasing access to financing, enhancing ease of doing business, and attracting foreign direct investment. Smart and autonomous vehicles in particular are experiencing rapid growth, buoyed by the launch of the SAVI cluster, which leverages Abu Dhabi’s world-class infrastructure to scale the operations of global companies. Joby’s expansion into Abu Dhabi is a testament to the success of this strategy.”