Dubai Air Taxi Network Takes Flight: Joby Completes Landmark Flight and Announces Next Vertiport Locations

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 17, 2025--

Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, today announced the next three vertiports to be added to Dubai's electric air taxi network, alongside Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Skyports Infrastructure, who will be responsible for building the vertiports. The sites, at the American University of Dubai, Atlantis the Royal and the Dubai Mall, will enable Joby to deliver high-speed, emissions-free connections between some of Dubai’s most high-profile destinations, as part of its six-year exclusive agreement with the RTA to establish air taxi services in the Emirate.

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The news comes as Joby successfully completed a landmark flight test, becoming the first electric air taxi company to conduct a point-to-point flight in the UAE. On Sunday 9 November, Joby landed its aircraft at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) following a 17-minute piloted flight from its test facility in Margham, underscoring Joby’s commercial market readiness and ability to operate in shared airspace. Tens of thousands of attendees will have the opportunity to see Joby’s aircraft in action at this week’s Dubai Airshow, with demonstration flights planned for each day of the show.

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), stated that “the successful completion of the first crewed flight of the electric aerial taxi marks a new milestone in Dubai’s distinguished record of leadership and innovation. The successful completion by Joby Aviation of the first air taxi flight between two distinct locations underscores the success of RTA’s operational framework for developing Dubai’s aerial mobility ecosystem. This milestone paves the way for a new phase of integration among smart mobility systems across the emirate, further strengthening the confidence of global partners in Dubai’s regulatory and technological environment and establishing it as a leading global platform for future mobility trials.

“RTA is steadily progressing towards the commercial launch of the aerial taxi service in 2026, solidifying Dubai’s position as the city of the future and a global hub for innovative and sustainable urban mobility solutions, combining efficient infrastructure with high quality of life," His Excellency confirmed.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation,said: “From flight demonstrations to infrastructure, we're making incredible progress on all fronts as we look ahead to launching commercial passenger service in Dubai next year. By working alongside the RTA, other government agencies and infrastructure partners, we’ve been able to streamline development of the world’s first air taxi service and are closer than ever to making urban air transport an everyday reality for residents and visitors across the UAE.”

Today’s vertiport announcement brings together three major Dubai property developers - Emaar Properties, Atlantis The Royal, and Wasl Asset Management Group - to deliver a network of valuable and high-traffic sites across the emirate:

Alongside the vertiport at Dubai International Airport, which is set to be completed in the first quarter of 2026, these sites will make up the initial vertiport network for Joby’s air taxi service in Dubai, which is set to launch in 2026.

About Joby

Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY) is a California-based transportation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi. Joby intends to both operate its fast, quiet, and convenient air taxi service in cities around the world and sell its aircraft to other operators and partners. To learn more, visit www.jobyaviation.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding the development and performance of our aircraft, the growth of our manufacturing capabilities, our regulatory outlook, progress and timing, including our plans to begin carrying passengers in 2026, timing and potential locations of our vertiports, and planned participation in the Dubai airshow; our business plan, objectives, goals and market opportunity; plans for, and potential benefits of, our strategic partnerships; and our current expectations relating to our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects, capital needs and growth of our operations. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as “anticipate”, “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, “plan”, “intend”, “believe”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “can have”, “likely” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. All forward looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including: our ability to launch our air taxi service and the growth of the urban air mobility market generally; our ability to produce aircraft that meet our performance expectations in the volumes and on the timelines that we project; complexities related to obtaining certification and operating in foreign markets; the competitive environment in which we operate; our future capital needs; our ability to adequately protect and enforce our intellectual property rights; our ability to effectively respond to evolving regulations and standards relating to our aircraft; our reliance on third-party suppliers and service partners; uncertainties related to our estimates of the size of the market for our service and future revenue opportunities; and other important factors discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 27, 2025, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 8, 2025 and August 7, 2025, and in future filings and other reports we file with or furnish to the SEC. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates and beliefs as of the date of this release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

Joby’s air taxi en route from its flight test facility in Margham to Al Maktoum International Airport, marking the first electric air taxi company to conduct a point-to-point flight in the UAE. Credit: Joby Aviation

NEW DELHI (AP) — At least 25 people, including tourists, were killed in a fire at a popular nightclub in India’s Goa state, the state’s chief minister said Sunday.

The blaze occurred just past midnight in Arpora village in North Goa, a party hub, some 25 kilometers (15-miles) from the state capital, Panaji.

Goa’s chief minister, Pramod Sawant, said most of the dead were the club’s kitchen workers, as well as three to four tourists. Six people were injured and are in stable condition, he said. All the bodies have been recovered.

The fire was caused by a gas cylinder blast and has been extinguished, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, quoting local police. However, eyewitnesses told the agency that the fire began on the club’s first floor, where tourists were dancing. It said at least 100 people were on the dance floor when the fire broke out and several rushed to the kitchen below in the chaos and got trapped along with staff.

Fatima Shaikh, an eyewitness, said the commotion began as flames erupted, according to the news agency. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” she said.

The nightclub, located along the Arpora river backwaters, had a narrow entry and exit that forced the fire brigades to park their tankers about 400 meters away, the news agency said. The restricted access delayed firefighting efforts, it reported, citing local officials.

Sawant, the state's top elected official who called it an “unfortunate incident during peak tourist season,” said the club had violated fire safety norms. The state government has ordered an inquiry into the incident to determine the exact cause of the fire and determine responsibility, he said, adding that the government would act against the club management and officials who allowed it to operate despite these violations.

Local village council official Roshan Redkar told the news agency that authorities had earlier issued a demolition notice for the club as it had no construction permit from the government. But higher officials rolled back the order, he said.

Regulations are poorly enforced in India where some public sector officials and builders cut corners, leading to safety hazards.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a social media post called the incident deeply saddening and said he spoke with Sawant about the situation. He said the state government “is providing all possible assistance to those affected” while offering condolences to the victims’ families.

Accidents, particularly involving gas cylinders and electric short circuits, aren’t uncommon in India and often result in casualties, underlining the need for authorities to implement stringent safety protocols.

The western coastal state of Goa is one of India’s most popular tourist destinations, known for its sandy beaches.

The charred interiors of a nightclub, which caught fire early Sunday, are seen in Arpora, Goa, India, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo)