Joby & Ras Al Khaimah to Launch Air Taxi Service by 2027
A render of Joby’s air taxi flying above Ras Al Khaimah. In partnership with RAKTA and Skyports Infrastructure, Joby plans to launch air taxi service in the emirate by 2027. Credit: Joby Aviation
The Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (“RAKTA”), Joby Aviation, and Skyports Infrastructure have announced a long-term collaboration to launch a passenger air taxi service network in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) by 2027.
This partnership, formalized by a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), brings together RAKTA's regulatory support, Skyports' leadership in vertiport infrastructure development, and Joby's all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The goal is to design, develop, and operate the first air taxi service in RAK, aligning with the Emirate's Comprehensive Mobility Plan 2030.
The service will establish both a network within RAK and an inter-emirate corridor, connecting to Joby's planned service in Dubai. This will drastically reduce travel times; for example, a trip from Dubai International Airport to Al Marjan Island, which can take over an hour by car, could take less than 15 minutes in Joby's air taxi.
Al Marjan Island will be home to the first vertiport, with additional locations to follow. The service will connect key destinations, including Al Marjan Island, where the new Wynn Al Marjan is set to open in 2027, and Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest peak.
Joby's aircraft is designed to transport a pilot and up to four passengers with minimal noise and zero operating emissions, offering faster, quieter, and more convenient mobility.
