Flying taxis in UAE: Helipads could serve as landing sites under hybrid model

More companies have shown interest in launching flying taxi operations in the UAE, a senior official said on Wednesday.

“There are some other clients that we are in discussion with. But we don’t have a formal agreement with them. We have to do some informal discussions and reach a confidence that there is seriousness by the applicant to introduce the service, in addition to other requirements, such as certification of the product. There are some companies in the pipeline, but we are not yet in a position to announce it,” engineer Aqeel Al Zarouni, assistant director-general for aviation safety affairs at the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), told Khaleej Times.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai have tied up with flying car makers Archer and Joby to launch air taxi services early next year as part of the government’s efforts to introduce an eco-friendly modern transport system in the country. Once launched, the UAE will be among the first countries to introduce flying taxis.

Currently, applications from two flying taxi firms – Archer and Joby – are with the GCAA. The two players are scheduled to launch flying taxis in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in early 2026.

Since eVTOL or flying car is a new technology, it is quite a challenge for manufacturers, regulators and operators to approve and launch this new mode of transport.

Regulations for eVTOL

While speaking during a press conference to announce the ‘Golden Package’ for the private aviation business sector, Al Zarouni said the UAE is one of the pioneering countries that dealt with eVTOL for the past several years. The UAE will also update regulations which will cover flying cars.

“As any state, when a new kind of transportation modality comes, we need to look around what is available. So we had to develop our own set of rules that meet the purpose. Last year, we published our rules for vertiports, which are unique. There are a few countries that have a comprehensive understanding of how vertiports are going to be certified and operated safely,” Al Zarouni said at the aviation exhibition and conference Mebaa 2024 taking place at Dubai World Central.

Al Zarouni revealed that GCAA consultations with stakeholders are underway to shape the current UAE rules into practical and useable guidelines for air taxi operators.

“Within the first half of 2025, we are committed to customise the existing rules that we already have for advanced air mobility. We aim to republish the current rules for Advanced Air Mobility around mid-2025. The current rule is called Unmanned Air Mobility and we are going to rename it to Advanced Air Mobility,” he added.

Hybrid use of helipads

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