DUBAI- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the first country in the world to certify a purpose-built commercial vertiport for electric air taxi operations, marking a major milestone in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).
The certified VDX facility, located next to Dubai International Airport (DXB), will serve as the flagship hub of Dubai’s future urban air mobility network.
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) granted the regulatory certification to VDX, a facility developed by Skyports Infrastructure for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
VDX will anchor Dubai’s planned air taxi network, with three additional vertiports under development through a partnership between Skyports and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The aircraft will also connect the city to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) as the network matures.
World’s First Commercial Vertiport Secures GCAA Certification
The GCAA issued the certification after a comprehensive regulatory assessment. The review covered the vertiport’s infrastructure, physical characteristics, operational procedures, safety management systems, emergency preparedness and compliance with aviation regulations.
The approval confirms that the regulatory framework required to safely operate commercial eVTOL aircraft is now in place, and it demonstrates the UAE’s ability to regulate emerging aviation technologies while maintaining high standards of safety and operational oversight.
The facility carries the official designation VDX under the GCAA certification process. During construction, it was referred to as DXV, the Dubai International Vertiport, named for its location near Dubai International Airport, and it was the first facility to receive design approval under the newly established UAE Vertiport Regulations.
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the GCAA, described the certification as a landmark for the sector.
“The certification of the world’s first purpose-built commercial vertiport is a historic achievement for the UAE and a defining moment for the future of aviation,” he said.
“The UAE is not only preparing for the future of aviation; it is actively shaping it and establishing new international benchmarks for Advanced Air Mobility.” He added that the milestone reflected the vision of the country’s leadership, the maturity of its regulatory system and its national capability to enable innovation while upholding the highest levels of safety.
Aqeel Al Zarouni, Assistant Director General for Aviation Safety Affairs, said the approval reflects the UAE’s ability to regulate next-generation aviation technologies while maintaining the highest standards of safety and regulatory oversight.
According to Khaleej Times, the certification represents a significant step in preparing Dubai for commercial electric air taxi operations.
Joby Aviation to Operate Dubai’s Electric Air Taxi
The vertiport will support services flown by Joby Aviation, the California-based eVTOL developer selected to run Dubai’s air taxi network.
Joby signed a definitive agreement with the RTA that grants it the exclusive right to operate air taxis in Dubai for 6 years, alongside a separate agreement with Skyports to design, build and operate the initial vertiport sites.
Operations will use the Joby S4, a piloted all-electric aircraft. The S4 is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, or roughly 320 kilometres per hour, with zero operating emissions and low noise levels suited to flights near residential and commercial areas.
The aircraft uses six tilting electric motors that provide vertical lift before transitioning to wing-borne forward flight, and it offers an operational range of about 100 miles, or 161 kilometres.
The vertiport houses the Joby-developed Global Electric Aviation Charging System, described as the first fast-charging equipment installed at a commercial vertiport.
The service targets short city routes that bypass road congestion. A journey from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah is expected to take around 10 to 12 minutes by air, compared with roughly 45 minutes by car.
The RTA, Skyports and Joby have identified Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina and Downtown Dubai near Dubai Mall as launch destinations, with further sites identified at locations including the American University of Dubai and Atlantis the Royal. The service is expected to be bookable through a mobile app.
Inside the VDX Vertiport
The four-storey VDX vertiport spans approximately 3,100 square metres and is built for high-capacity commercial operations. The facility includes two dedicated take-off and landing areas, rapid charging infrastructure for electric aircraft and high-throughput passenger processing facilities.
Once commercial operations begin, the vertiport can handle up to 170,000 passengers and 42,000 aircraft movements each year, and it can also accommodate conventional helicopter traffic under a hybrid regulatory framework developed with the GCAA.
Progress toward launch has followed a clear sequence of milestones. Skyports and the RTA held a topping-out ceremony for the facility during the Dubai Airshow in November 2025, when construction reached 60% completion.
Joby then completed the UAE’s first point-to-point crewed eVTOL flight on 9 November 2025, a 17-minute journey from its Margham test site to Al Maktoum International Airport.
Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum reviewed the completed station in April 2026 and directed that the service launch for public use before the end of the year.
Skyports Infrastructure Chief Executive Officer Duncan Walker said the certification moves Dubai one step closer to launching commercial electric air taxi services.
He noted that the infrastructure, operational standards and regulatory systems required for commercial eVTOL operations are now in place, paving the way for a new era of sustainable urban transport.
Commercial operations across the four-node network are expected to begin before the end of 2026, subject to Joby completing final operational certification with the GCAA.
UAE’s Advanced Air Mobility Ambitions
The certification reinforces the UAE’s position as a global leader in Advanced Air Mobility and supports the country’s efforts to build a safe, regulated and future-ready aviation ecosystem.
The project aligns with the objectives of We the UAE 2031 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 by advancing innovation, attracting investment, supporting economic diversification and enabling sustainable mobility solutions.
The approval reflects close collaboration between the GCAA, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, Skyports Infrastructure, Joby Aviation and other strategic partners developing the emirate’s air taxi ecosystem.
Together, these partners aim to make Dubai the first city in the world to operate a regulated commercial air taxi service at scale.
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