Joby's electric air taxi moves closer to passenger flights by 2025

The roll-out of our first production prototype aircraft is the culmination of years of investment in our processes and technology, marking a major step on our journey towards achieving FAA certification and production at scale. pic.twitter.com/uZeE1qvUfP

— Joby Aviation (@jobyaviation) June 28, 2023

Joby's production eVTOL

In its latest feat, Joby's aircraft may not appear drastically different from its prototype or what it has been flying in the past few years. For those who are still new to the world of eVTOLs, this might look like a helicopter on steroids at first glance.

The sheer number of propellers on this aircraft is courtesy of electric motors that fail to generate the thrust anywhere close to a jet engine. Having said that, they also do not generate any emissions during operations, making them an ideal fit for the futuristic world looking to wean itself away from fossil fuels.

The lack of major design overhauls also means that there is little left for Joby to perfect after decades of work, and air taxis could soon be a reality.

Flying with the Air Force

Joby built its production prototype at its facility in Marina, California, in line with the quality management demanded by the FAA to begin commercial operations. With an eye on commercial operations by 2025, Joby looks to be systematically ticking all the boxes necessary to make this possible.

Although it says "experimental," the airworthiness certificate in hand allows Joby to further test the flying capacity of its aircraft, something that leads to the powertrain and electronics Jon Wagner plans to do extensively.

Another milestone for the company will be completed next year when the prototype production aircraft reaches Edwards Air Force Base for further testing. Joby will deliver its first eVTOL to the Edwards Air Force Base as part of the Agility Prime contract with the US Air Force.

Through the program, the military will help Joby extensively test its eVTOL while exploring potential use cases for the armed forces. The eVTOL will be used to move people and goods around military bases next year.

If all goes well, we will see it in action ferrying passengers of Delta Airlines to and from the airport. Hopefully, the FAA would have agreed on the licensing requirements of eVTOL pilots by then.