Aircraft

Joby's first production eVTOL air taxi is cleared to fly

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The first eVTOL aircraft to come off Joby's pilot production line has been cleared to fly
Joby Aviation
The first eVTOL aircraft to come off Joby's pilot production line has been cleared to fly
Joby Aviation
California Governor Gavin Newsom (right) and JoeBen Bevirt, Joby Aviation’s Founder and CEO (left) with the company's first production prototype
Joby Aviation

The first production prototype has rolled off Joby Aviation's production line in Marina, California, and the FAA has cleared it to begin flight tests with a special airworthiness certificate. It's likely to be the first eVTOL delivered to a customer.

With upwards of US$2 billion in funding, more than a decade's worth of development and an impressive number of high-speed, long-distance, full-transition test flights behind it, Joby remains the leader in the race to commercial electric air taxi services.

Its S4 aircraft is a five-seat beauty that can take off and land vertically using six large propellers distributed along its wings and V-tail. It then transitions to efficient cruise flight by tilting all its props forward, and can fly more than 150 miles (240 km) at speeds over 200 mph (322 km/h).

Vastly quieter than helicopters, eVTOLs are also projected to be much cheaper as well as having zero emissions. It's hoped that once they're in full commercial service, they'll democratize vertical commuting, being produced in large numbers and offering a fast, cheap way to get across town and between towns over the top of traffic.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (right) and JoeBen Bevirt, Joby Aviation’s Founder and CEO (left) with the company's first production prototype
Joby Aviation

First, they'll need FAA type certification. And to be clear, that's not what's just been announced. A special airworthiness certificate is simply a clearance to begin limited flight testing in a single aircraft. Full type certification is still slated for sometime in 2024, and entry into service for 2025, but this could take significantly longer, since in order to begin commercial operations, these eVTOLs need to prove a similar level of safety to that of commercial airliners.

This prototype is destined for the US Air Force, where upon delivery in 2024 at Edwards Air Force Base, it's likely to become the first eVTOL ever delivered to a customer. The Air Force has contributed "up to US$131 million" to Joby's development program through its Agility Prime program, which seeks to accelerate development of these futuristic aircraft, both for potential military uses and to develop America's soverign capability in an emerging technology area that many hope will change the way our cities work.

The pilot production line in Marina has been set up with the assistance of Toyota, Joby's largest external shareholder to the tune of a $400-million investment. Aircraft have never been manufactured at the kind of scale projected for these air taxis, and Toyota is contributing its mass serial production expertise from the automotive industry to the project.

Manufactured "in accordance with a released design and built according to a complete implementation of a quality management system," the prototype will soon begin flight tests. We're not on the home stretch yet, but eVTOL companies continue to make steady progress. Check out a video below.

Source: Joby Aviation

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13 comments
Jezzafool
Go Joby! Shame about the change to the undercarriage tho....
Jezzafool
Or do the new ones retract?
Oirinth
I know its nearly impossible to get a company name with no alternate meanings, but if they ever want to operate in Scotland without being laughed at they'll need to rebrand and make sure to never paint one beige,
( either check urban dictionary for Jobby, or look up Billy connollly's sketch "A Wee Beige Jobby" )
Towerman
YAAAAAY!!!!! Finally !
NOW This is the kind if news that gets me excited !!!!! Well done Joby !

Just in time to compete with Ehang's inter island hopping spree....So no time to waste lets here them buzzin' !!
(A retract version would be nice though i agree)
vince
Huge glass doors makes you wonder if its possible to make an all glass/plexiglass airplane with see through wings, fuselage, etc? Wouldn't that be almost like flying through the air without any visible means of support as you sat seated in the plane looking to side, up, down, etc and also for the viewers outside the plane to see people literally flying with just some visible electric motors, battery and wiring between controls, etc. It would be an awesome experience ha.
martinwinlow
Are they all wearing parachutes?
Towerman
@martinwinlow
Guess what....NO ! Are you wearing a parachute everytime yout step onto an airliner? If not you Should...

Time to get educated. EVTOLS are safer than planes and helicopters ;)
Koziol
Now where can you go with less than 60 miles of range.....??? This only work in very large and congested cites that people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars to go 20 miles to save 30 minutes.
Koziol
Your hair dryer is electric is it quiet? We have helicopters that are more capable why are they not used. Same reason EVs will not be used they are expensive, require maintenance, and they today need someone to pilot them that are expensive.
Eggster
What are the turnaround times for these aircraft? This will greatly affect feasibility.

What is the safety profile? Can they glide or autogyro to a safe landing?