Dubai aims to cover 30 per cent of the city with drone delivery services by 2026 and expand this coverage to 70 per cent within the next five years, according to Mohammed Abdulla Lengawi, Director General of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Dubai Airshow 2025, Lengawi announced that the first phase of Dubai's drone delivery initiative had been launched in Dubai Silicon Oasis.

"Phase two of the drone delivery system will be launched prior to the Dubai Airshow 2025. By 2026, we will expand our coverage to at least 30 per cent of the emirate. In the next five years, we are targeting to cover 70 per cent of Dubai. The regulatory framework is completely established. We are in the experiment phase, and once the outcomes are established, we'll have an outstanding ecosystem for urban air mobility, incorporating drone delivery systems and eVTOLs," he said.

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Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) is the new mode of transport which will operate as a flying taxi in the UAE and other advanced countries from next year.

As previously reported by Khaleej Times in December, the DCAA issued its first drone delivery license to Keeta Drone, authorising the company to deliver medicines and parcels using six drones during the initial phase, starting in Dubai Silicon Oasis.

Lengawi also confirmed that progress on flying taxis, or eVTOLs, is on track.

"We all understand that eVTOLs represent the future of urban transportation. At this stage, the focus is on ensuring a robust regulatory framework. We're still in the planning and testing phase, working to ensure that eVTOLs comply with all safety and regulatory requirements. We're on schedule to launch air taxi services in Dubai by 2026," he said.

He noted that integrating eVTOLs with existing commercial air traffic and drone delivery networks remains a complex challenge, but one that the city is actively preparing to meet.

"Regulations for eVTOL operations are currently in development, and everything is progressing smoothly toward our 2026 launch target," he added.

U.S.-based eVTOL manufacturers Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation will also showcase their air taxi models at the airshow. Both companies are currently conducting test flights in the UAE ahead of their planned launches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 2026.

Timothy Hawes, Managing Director of Informa – the airshow organiser – said the upcoming airshow will offer an unparalleled view of the future of aviation.

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