The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has certified VDX, a vertiport developed by Skyports Infrastructure, marking what the agency and the company describe as the world's first regulatory certification of a purpose-built commercial vertiport for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations.
The certification was announced jointly by the GCAA and Skyports on July 7, and it
authorizes the vertiport to operate under the agency's regulatory framework for future commercial eVTOL services, although passenger operations remain subject to aircraft certification and operator approvals.
"With VDX now certified and construction of the wider Dubai Air Taxi Network progressing at pace, we are one step closer to launching commercial air taxi operations," said Skyports Infrastructure CEO Duncan Walker, adding that it confirms the infrastructure and regulatory frameworks needed for commercial eVTOL service now exist.
Located adjacent to Dubai International Airport and connected to the Emirates Metro Station, VDX will serve as the main hub of Dubai's planned Air Taxi network. A second vertiport at Dubai Marina is already under construction, with sites at Dubai Mall and Palm Jumeirah set to begin construction in the coming months, according to a Skyports announcement in April 2026. The network is being built by Skyports in partnership with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Related article: Dubai opens world’s first commercial vertiport near Dubai International Airport — Vertus
According to the companies, the certification followed a GCAA review covering the vertiport's infrastructure, physical layout, operational procedures, safety management systems, emergency preparedness and compliance with applicable aviation regulations.
The four-storey, roughly 3,100-square-metre facility includes two dedicated take-off and landing pads, an integrated multistorey car park, and passenger-handling facilities designed for up to 170,000 travelers and 42,000 aircraft movements annually. It also houses Joby Aviation's Global Electric Aviation Charging System (GEACS).
California-based Joby Aviation, which is developing an all-electric, piloted eVTOL aircraft, signed a six-year exclusive agreement with the RTA in February 2024 to launch air taxi operations in Dubai.
GCAA Director General Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi called the certification "a historic achievement for the UAE," adding that it reflects the maturity of the country's regulatory system and its capacity to shape international benchmarks for advanced air mobility.
The certification is framed by both organizations as supporting the UAE's "We the UAE 2031" national vision and Dubai's Economic Agenda D33, which target economic diversification, investment and sustainable mobility.
No exact date of commercial operations has been confirmed. The timeline will also depend on additional steps, including certification of the eVTOL aircraft intended to operate from the facility and completion of the network's remaining vertiports.
