Joby Aviation is on the verge of becoming the first company to get official clearance to operate electric air taxis in the UAE.
What’s happening:
- Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) has officially submitted their Letter of Intent to obtain an official Air Operator Certificate from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority to begin operating their electric air taxis on regional flights
Why it matters:
- If Joby Aviation receives approval from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, they will become the first legally certified operator of electric air taxis in the UAE
- Electric air taxis are one of the most promising new technologies for decarbonizing short distance regional transportation, which has led to startups in Dubai beginning to raising mega funding rounds to build out new facilities to support the take off and landing of electric air taxis
Going deeper:
- Joby Aviation already has multiple different existing partnerships in the UAE, including with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority to launch air taxi flights in the Emirate of Dubai and with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development to establish air taxi operations in Abu Dhabi
- Electric air taxis have been getting closer to significant adoption globally, with Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) recently launching a partnership with Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) to establish a new regional network for electric air taxi flights in the state of California
The intrigue:
- Joby Aviation has also been successfully operating a leading edge hydrogen-electric air taxi on regional test flights, using pre-production Joby aircrafts and adding a liquid hydrogen fuel tank and fuel cell system
