Joby Aviation's electric air taxi gets green light for flight tests

Joby Aviation, a leading electric air mobility company, has received clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct flight tests on its first production prototype air taxi.

This significant milestone brings Joby one step closer to its goal of delivering eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft to customers by 2024 and launching a full-fledged air taxi service by 2025.

In a press release, Joby announced that the cleared aircraft will undergo initial flight testing before being transported to Edwards Air Force Base in California, where it will showcase various logistics use cases.

The air taxi is equipped with six rotors that enable vertical takeoff and landing, and it can transition to horizontal flight mode, reaching speeds of up to 200 MPH. With a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge, the aircraft can accommodate a pilot and four passengers, making it suitable for most air taxi operations.

Additionally, Joby emphasizes that the vehicle operates quietly during cruising and is significantly quieter than conventional aircraft during takeoff and landing.