World’s first crewed air taxi lifts off in Dubai / Image credit: File
Dubai has completed its first crewed electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air-taxi flight, a short point-to-point journey being hailed as a milestone on the road to commercial air-taxi service in 2026. If you want the first visual, the Dubai Media Office video shows the aircraft lifting off at Margham and landing at DWC during the trials; it’s the clearest public footage of the crewed point-to-point run. Expect more test flights, phased certification steps and vertiport roll-outs through 2025–2026, ahead of the first commercial routes planned for 2026.
Historic first crewed eVTOL flight in Dubai
On 16 November 2025, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in partnership with Joby Aviation, completed the first crewed eVTOL flight between Margham and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), a point-to-point test that demonstrates vertical take-off, cruise and landing in an operational context. The RTA and Dubai Media Office released video and statements showing the short crewed journey as part of trials ahead of a planned 2026 launch. Watch the official clip from Dubai Media Office for the moment the aircraft lifted off and landed: [Also read: Dubai unveils 4 launch pads for Flying Taxis: Where you’ll catch the World’s first aerial taxi in 2026]
The aircraft, speeds and where you’ll board?
Dubai’s air-taxi programme is built around the Joby Aviation S4 eVTOL, a quiet, all-electric aircraft with six rotors, four battery packs and a performance profile that allows speeds of up to 320 km/h and ranges of around 160 km per charge, making it ideal for fast city hops. Each aircraft will carry four passengers plus one pilot, offering a compact but premium cabin with panoramic windows and low noise levels compared to helicopters. To support the service, the RTA is developing a network of dedicated vertiports, starting with Dubai International Airport (DXB), Palm Jumeirah, Downtown Dubai and Dubai Marina, with the DXB hub already about 60% complete and designed to handle up to 170,000 passengers a year. These strategically chosen points are meant to slash travel times—for example, a 45-minute ground trip could take just 12 minutes by air. Watch the video for a close-up look at what the air taxi offers, inside and out: Although pricing is not final, early estimates suggest fares could sit around US$75, similar to a high-end ride-hailing service, with the long-term aim of becoming competitive with regular taxis. Joby has already completed hundreds of piloted test flights globally and holds exclusive operating rights in Dubai for six years, while passengers will eventually be able to book flights through a dedicated mobile app, with fast charging and quick turnarounds enabling frequent daily operations. Overall, the system is being built as a smooth, airport-style experience, compact vertiports, efficient boarding, pilot-operated flights and seamless links to the metro, buses and taxis, making air taxis feel less like futuristic experiments and more like an everyday transport option.
Qatar’s quiet coup
Days before the Dubai spectacle, Qatar secured a different, but equally significant, victory by focusing on full autonomy. On November 15, 2025, the country celebrated the successful trial of its first-ever urban passenger flight with a fully unmanned eVTOL.The event was sponsored and witnessed by H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani, the Minister of Transport (MoT).The aircraft operated without any direct human interference, relying entirely on a full self-control system enabled by AI and advanced air navigation technologies. The pilotless taxi flew successfully between the Old Doha Port and the Katara Cultural Village.This initiative is a core part of the MoT Strategy 2025-2030, which aims to create a smart, resilient transportation system to support Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030) and reduce the nation’s carbon footprint. Go to Source