Off to a flying start: Eversheds Sutherland brings legal innovation to Joby Aviation as electric aerial taxi service takes off

Eversheds Sutherland has advised Joby Aviation, a California-based company, on the launch of one of the world’s first electric aerial taxi services in Dubai.

Joby Aviation has signed a definitive agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services in the Emirate by early 2026, with Joby targeting initial operations as early as 2025.

The vehicle will be able to carry a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and will be operated by the Company. A journey from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah is expected to take just 10 minutes compared with 45 minutes by car.

The Eversheds Sutherland team was led by Partners Nasser Ali Khasawneh and Geraldine Ahern, and Principal Associate Andrew Garbett, with further support from Principal Associate Christine El Khoury.

The global law firm advised on the contractual and commercial arrangements between Joby and the RTA – a unique and legally innovative arrangement which secures a variety of support from the RTA to develop a regulatory regime that will accommodate this cutting edge form of transport.

Nasser Ali Khasawneh, Partner and Global Head of Technology Media and Telecoms Sector, Eversheds Sutherland, commented:

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have helped Joby Aviation realise its ambitions of delivering one of the world’s first electric aerial taxi services. The opportunity to do so has been an occasion for a number of ‘firsts’, particularly in relation to the legal innovation involved in order to fully accommodate a new regulatory regime for flying taxis and the commercial basis on which the Dubai RTA and Joby would work together to launch the service. It’s been an incredibly exciting project to work on and an opportunity to bring our varied capabilities to the table.”

Mustafa Rizvi, Joby Aviation, commented:

“The successful delivery of this exciting, cutting-edge aviation service speaks for the quality of the innovative and technically excellent legal input that Nasser, Andrew and the Eversheds Sutherland team applied. We are extremely pleased with Eversheds supporting us throughout this complex transaction, and they executed and delivered beyond our expectations. We look forward to future collaborations.”

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.