Storyline: The future of urban air mobility and advanced aerial transportation is on display at the ongoing Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates, as the latest vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft offer visitors a captivating preview of how the skies above cities could soon change. Held fittingly under the theme "The Future is Here," the five-day airshow opened at Dubai World Central on Monday and has drawn more than 1,500 exhibitors, including 440 first-time participants. Over 200 aircraft are on display, from commercial, military, and private jets to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and next-generation aviation technologies. One of the most eye-catching sections at the airshow is the VTOL aircraft exhibition area. Exhibitors say these aircraft are poised to serve as flying taxis in the near future, helping alleviate urban traffic congestion by fully utilizing available airspace. Joby Aviation, a company from the United States, delivered the first VTOL aircraft performance on the event's opening day, wowing spectators with crewed vertical taking off and landing procedures. Oliver Walker-Jones, head of marketing and communications for the firm, emphasized that safety is very much a priority, noting that extensive testing is being carried out on the aircraft. "We've had our aircraft here in Dubai for about six months now and we've been performing flight tests out in the desert. We have six different propellers. They're all powered separately. There are four different packs. In other words, there's a lot of redundancy, so it'll be regulated. We've done 50,000 miles of flight testing already and we're going to do a lot more. And the aircraft by design is very, very safe." he said. Meanwhile, several exhibitors have been showcasing the latest advancements made in the development of hybrid power systems which are designed to significantly extend the range and endurance of aircraft. Auto-maker Honda has been developing its first all-electric VTOL prototype, and is especially focused on advancing the range and performance of its new flying vehicle concept. "We have a hybrid electric power system and the maximum viable range is now 400 kilometers," said Akihiro Mizutani, a representative from Honda's research and development team involved in the project. Chinese-made eVTOL aircraft have also garnered significant attention at the airshow. One exhibitor from Aerospace Times Feipeng, a company based in east China's Jiangsu Province, noted their aircraft could serve key functions beyond basic transportation, including in emergency situations. "It is primarily designed for civilian logistics, as well as emergency search and rescue missions. For example, if we want to check for an oil spill in the Arabian Gulf or the Red Sea, we can deploy this aircraft right away. The takeoff and landing of the aircraft are fully electric, while the engine runs on regular automotive gasoline, which is cheap and widely available. We are confident to say that we will achieve the first flight very soon in the Middle East region," said Cao Yongmin, a representative for the company. The 19th edition of the Dubai Airshow has attracted some 148,000 trade visitors and is expected to be the largest in the biennial event's history. Shotlist: Dubai, UAE - Nov 17, 2025: 1. Various of vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) aircraft performing at Dubai Airshow Dubai, UAE - Nov 17-19, 2025: 2. VTOL aircraft on display 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Oliver Walker-Jones, head of marketing, communications and brand, Joby Aviation (partially overlaid with shot 4): "We've had our aircraft here in Dubai for about six months now and we've been performing flight tests out in the desert. We have six different propellers. They're all powered separately. There are four different packs. In other words, there's a lot of redundancy, so it'll be regulated. We've done 50,000 miles of flight testing already and we're going to do a lot more. And the aircraft by design is very, very safe." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 3. VTOL aircraft developed by Joby Aviation on display [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 4. Various of hybrid engine on display, publicity board 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Akihiro Mizutani, exhibitor, Honda: "We have a hybrid electric power system and the maximum viable range is now 400 kilometers." 6. Various of interior of VTOL aircraft 7. Various of China-developed VTOL aircraft on display 8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Cao Yongmin, exhibitor, Aerospace Times Feipeng (partially overlaid with shot 9/ending with shot 10): "It is primarily designed for civilian logistics, as well as emergency search and rescue missions. For example, if we want to check for an oil spill in the Arabian Gulf or the Red Sea, we can deploy this aircraft right away. The takeoff and landing of the aircraft are fully electric, while the engine runs on regular automotive gasoline, which is cheap and widely available. We are confident to say that we will achieve the first flight very soon in the Middle East region." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 9. Various of VTOL aircraft on display [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 10. Various of VTOL aircraft on display [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]