Eversheds Sutherland Guides Joby’s Dubai Air Taxi Launch 

Global law firm Eversheds Sutherland advised California-based Joby Aviation in its definitive agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services in the Emirate by early 2026, with initial operations targeted as early as 2025.

The electric aerial taxis, capable of carrying a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, aim to revolutionize urban mobility by drastically reducing travel times. For instance, a journey from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah is expected to take just 10 minutes compared to the typical 45-minute car ride. 

Eversheds Sutherland legal advisory team included Nasser Ali Khasawneh (Chairman – Middle East, Global Head of AI & TMT, pictured right) and Geraldine Ahern (Managing Partner – Abu Dhabi, Head of Commercial – Middle East, pictured left), along with Principal Associates Andrew Garbett and Christine El Khoury.

Commenting on the partnership, Nasser Ali Khasawneh, expressed excitement about contributing to Joby Aviation’s pioneering initiative. He highlighted the legal innovation involved in devising a regulatory regime tailored to flying taxis and the collaborative commercial framework between Joby and the Dubai RTA. 

Joby additionally signed an agreement with Skyports, who will design, build and operate four initial vertiport sites across Dubai. RTA, Skyports and Joby have worked together to identify Dubai International Airport (DXB), Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina and Dubai Downtown as the launch locations for Dubai’s air taxi service.