Joby partners with Abu Dhabi to establish electric air taxi ecosystem
Smart and autonomous vehicles are experiencing rapid growth
California, USA headquartered Joby Aviation, a company developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, recently announced it has signed a multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (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) that lays the groundwork for Joby to establish and scale air taxi services in Abu Dhabi and beyond.
The MoU, signed at the DRIFTx international thought-leadership and exhibition platform in Abu Dhabi, demonstrates the breadth of support available to Joby as part of their participation in the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) cluster and builds on Joby’s existing commitments to the UAE, which include the exclusive right to operate air taxi services in Dubai, which the company expects to start as early as next year.
“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,” observed Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman, DMT.
Rapid growth
“Smart and autonomous vehicles 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,” commented Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman, ADDED.
“The introduction of scale air taxi services marks a significant addition, enhancing accessibility to natural attractions, tourist hotspots, and architectural landmarks, thereby elevating overall visitor experiences,” remarked Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi.
“We’re grateful for the support and collaboration of our governmental partners and the entire ecosystem in Abu Dhabi and we remain deeply impressed by their commitment to building out a world-class aviation ecosystem in the Emirate,” noted JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation.
