18:37 12-03-2026
Joby begins eVTOL air taxi test flights ahead of commercial launch
Joby Aviation starts test flights for its electric air taxi, aiming for FAA certification and commercial services in Dubai this year. Learn about eVTOL progress and urban air mobility.
American company Joby Aviation has announced the start of test flights for its first production electric air taxi, which is undergoing certification trials ahead of commercial operations. This marks a crucial step toward securing operational approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The test flights are being conducted at the company's facility in Marina, California. Following initial testing, the aircraft will be handed over to FAA pilots for evaluation under the Type Inspection Authorization process—a key stage in aviation certification.
The new vehicle falls into the eVTOL category: electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Equipped with six rotors, it can take off like a helicopter before transitioning to horizontal flight like an airplane. It has seating for a pilot and four passengers.
Joby has already completed an extensive testing program, with prototype aircraft logging over 80,000 kilometers in flight. The company aims to launch its first commercial services this year in Dubai, where dedicated landing pads for air taxis are under construction.
Simultaneously, the project is backed by a U.S. government initiative to integrate electric aircraft into national airspace. The FAA has launched eight pilot programs, and Joby is participating in five of them.
For readers, this progress matters because it highlights how close eVTOL technology is to real-world deployment. In practice, this means urban air mobility could become a tangible option sooner than many expect.
Joby plans to scale production gradually: by 2027, its factories in California and Ohio aim to build up to four air taxis per month.
eVTOL technology is also being discussed in Russia, though commercial projects there remain distant. The main hurdles include a lack of regulatory framework, high infrastructure costs, and the need to establish safe urban flight corridors. Still, experts believe such aircraft could eventually serve megacities or remote regions where conventional transport is inefficient.