GCAA approves world’s first dual-use air mobility regulations: The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) established the first global regulatory framework (pdf) allowing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and helicopters to share the same infrastructure, state news agency Wam reports. The GCAA’s proposed regulations for eVTOL infrastructure were expected this month.

Behind the move: The hybrid model reduces infrastructure costs by eliminating the need for separate eVTOL facilities, and looks to accelerate deployment timelines by using existing helipad networks.

The process: Approved heliport and vertiport operators must contact the GCAA to be certified for hybrid operations and provide a safety assessment, compliance register, and a workflow to implement the necessary changes. The ports will need to be up to specification requirements prior to any application.

The UAE is on an eVTOL roll, with Joby Aviation and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority completing the region’s first Joby air taxi test flight earlier this week. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office, along with Chinese autonomous aerial vehicle firm EHang and Multi Level Group, also tested their passenger eVTOL aircraft last month, and Archer Aviation completed the first test flight for its Midnight eVTOL aircraft set to launch in Abu Dhabi soon. The GCAA granted design approval for the country’s first hybrid heliport at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal in Zayed Port back in April.

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