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Government policy alignment, greenfield infrastructure development, and substantial capital availability are positioning the Gulf region as the world’s leading launch market for advanced air mobility, according to industry experts.“Most importantly, the Gulf isn’t just watching this unfold from the sidelines. It’s arguably the most permissive and the best capitalised launch market anywhere in the world at the moment,” Dr Bidur Khanal, head of the Aeronautical Department at the University of Doha for Science & Technology (UDST), told a panel discussion on advanced air mobility at the Autonomous e-Mobility Forum 2026.Regional markets are moving faster than traditional Western jurisdictions by integrating specialised regulations directly into national transportation frameworks, according to Fahad al-Riyami, CEO and founder AeroVecto. He stated that the Gulf offers unique structural advantages for aircraft developers, pointing out that Gulf nations can rapidly align investments, policy, and physical infrastructure once a decision is made to adopt new transportation technology.Al-Riyami also explained that designing aircraft for the region’s varied terrain and extreme climatic conditions provides a strong foundation for international certification.“We have a very varied geography in Oman: We have deserts and mountainous areas, as well as humid climates in Salalah and Kharif. Once we certify it for Oman, it’s a very good basis then to go to other regions,” he explained.Paul Kaman of FlyNow Aviation Saudi Arabia noted that greenfield urban developments in the region allow vertiport infrastructure to be designed directly into master plans rather than retrofitted into existing urban spaces.Kaman said clear national roadmaps, capital backing, and high technology adoption among a young demographic make the region an attractive hub for full manufacturing and operational bases.He noted that vertiports represent bankable infrastructure that will generate steady commercial returns once operational networks mature.Detailing Qatar’s regulatory environment, Air Safety Department director Nayif Nasser al-Jaber of the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) emphasised that Qatar provides clear pathways for advanced air mobility operations through formal government decisions.Al-Jaber stated that the authority actively encourages engagement from international operators and collaborates with overseas manufacturing authorities to establish local compliance frameworks.“We encourage all kinds of operators for advanced air mobility and eVTOL to approach the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. We are more than happy to support...and to collaborate with their states of manufacture authorities to find a solution,” al-Jaber emphasised.Walid Meskine, Solution Engineer manager at Aeronex, DJI Enterprise, pointed out that extensive testing across regional conditions has already proven aircraft capabilities in harsh environments.Meskine explained that managed airspace architectures, combining civil aviation oversight with micro traffic management systems, will ensure safe integration between air taxis and traditional aviation.

The global electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) industry is entering a critical stage of commercial readiness following a series of technical breakthroughs and regulatory milestones. Eve Air Mobility and Skyports Infrastructure stated that recent advancements have established the operational foundations required to move aircraft from experimental phases to regulated urban networks. In the Gulf region, the UAE certified “the world’s first purpose-built commercial vertiport” in Dubai last month, according to a recent announcement by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Skyports Infrastructure (Skyports). The GCAA confirmed that the facility is the first to receive regulatory certification, paving the way for commercial air taxi services in Dubai. GCAA director general Saif Mohammed al-Suwaidi stated the achievement reflects the maturity of the national regulatory system and the capability to enable innovation while maintaining safety. Saudi Arabia is also accelerating its involvement through a strategic agreement between its General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and Vertical Aerospace to advance air mobility certification. The GACA stated the collaboration seeks to establish the regulatory and operational foundations needed to prepare the Saudi aviation ecosystem for the safe introduction of electric aircraft. These initiatives are supported by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) 2026-2030 strategy, which identifies aviation and advanced manufacturing as key economic ecosystems for future growth. Qatar established an early foundational role in the regional sector following the successful trial of its first unmanned passenger eVTOL flight from Doha Port to the Katara Cultural Village in November last year. The Ministry of Transport (MoT) stated that the trial operation was part of initiatives to develop Qatar’s public transportation system using unmanned aircraft as a safe and eco-friendly urban mobility option. The Minister of Transport His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed al-Thani explained that the initiative is a direct result of the MoT Strategy 2025-2030, which aims at “creating a smart, resilient transportation system.”The minister noted that the trial constitutes an advanced step forward toward a future enabled by innovation and environmentally friendly technologies. On an international level, Eve Air Mobility announced recently that its engineering prototype successfully completed its first partial transition flight in Florida. The company stated that the aircraft activated its rear pusher propulsion system while in flight, attaining a stabilised speed of 27 knots at an altitude of 90 feet. Eve Air Mobility CEO Johann Bordais stated that validating the pusher propulsion design brings the firm closer to delivering scalable air mobility solutions. In the US, Joby Aviation and Atoms recently formed a strategic partnership to develop a network of multimodal transportation hubs. Joby Aviation stated these vertiports are designed to connect electric air taxis with autonomous ground vehicles and ridesharing services to create seamless passenger connections. Joby Aviation founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt noted that making electric flight part of everyday life will require a new generation of hubs connecting aircraft with communities. The growing commercial maturity of the industry is also reflected in the entry of specialised aviation finance companies into the market, according to Eve Air Mobility, which has signed a Letter of Intent with Shearwater Global Capital for up to 16 aircraft to provide asset-based financing for air mobility operators. However, the sector still faces significant commercial hurdles, as shown by the recent insolvency of the German pioneer Volocopter. Despite conducting a public autonomous demonstration in Dubai in 2017, the company entered formal insolvency proceedings in March 2025 after failing to secure funding. As the industry moves forward, the MoT emphasised that it remains committed to assessing international standards to integrate these systems into the national network. Sheikh Mohammed noted that the adoption of these options will contribute to reducing traffic congestion and providing smart mobility choices for residents. The minister further pointed out that leadership in the sector is achieved “when technology meets governance.”

Visitors look at a Zerog eVTOL model ZG-ONE in the Zerog booth during the Aero Asia 2025 in Zhuhai, in southern China’s Guangdong province Saturday. Aero Asia 2025 is an international aviation and aerospace exhibition that runs between November 27 and 30. 

The successful trial of Qatar’s inaugural urban flight featuring an unmanned electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft marked a major milestone in the nation’s commitment to embracing innovative and sustainable mobility solutions. The event, sponsored and witnessed by His Excellency the Minister of Transport Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed al-Thani Saturday at the Katara amphitheatre, symbolises Qatar’s forward-thinking approach in leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance transportation systems, ultimately reinforcing its status as a leader in smart urban mobility initiatives. The air taxi demonstration flight comes within a series of tests, supervised by the Ministry of Transport (MoT), on the technical aspects and future applicability of such technologies. **media[382233]** The trial air taxi flight took off at the Old Doha Port and landed safely at the Katara Cultural Village. It was successfully conducted without any direct human interference using a full self-control system enabled by AI and advanced air navigation technologies, demonstrating that the system is capable of using the airspace optimally in a safe operational environment. According to the MoT, it will continue assessing the test results and lay down the regulatory and technical frameworks needed for approving and operating that type of mobility in line with best international standards and in a way that enhances Qatar’s position as a leading global hub in adopting smart and sustainable technologies. The pilotless air taxi project will be carried out in several consecutive phases, considering all relevant technical, operational, and regulatory requirements, including infrastructure readiness, approval of operational systems, and meeting all safety, security and quality standards to ensure the new mobility system can be safely and effectively integrated into the nation’s mobility network. **media[382235]** The minister described the trial operation as “a new milestone” in Qatar’s journey of adopting smart and sustainable mobility solutions and constitutes “an advanced step forward” toward a future enabled by innovation and environmentally friendly technologies. “This emphasises the MoT’s commitment to enhancing Qatar’s regional and international pioneering position in modern transportation and supporting national efforts to reduce carbon emissions and improve the quality of life,” the minister emphasised. “This initiative,” he said, “is a true translation of the MoT Strategy 2025-2030 that aims at creating a smart, resilient transportation system where sustainability, innovation, and integration between various transportation modes are front and centre, thereby boosting the efficiency of the country’s transportation system and advancing the goals of the Third National Development Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030.” **media[382236]** The minister noted that the MoT will continue enhancing Qatar’s global profile in deploying smart and emerging technologies in transportation, in partnership with leading global companies, to develop an integrated infrastructure that is capable of accommodating advanced transportation modes in the coming years. “Saturay’s trial operation was part of the MoT’s initiatives for developing Qatar’s public transportation system by using unmanned eVTOL aircraft as a safe, fast, and eco-friendly urban mobility option that contributes to reducing traffic congestion, and providing smart mobility choices for citizens, residents and visitors, something that says leadership is achieved when technology meets governance,” the minister added.