Electric air taxi manufacturer Joby Aviation announced completion of its pre-production flight test program and is now shifting its focus to obtaining air certification using its prototype aircraft.
In a press release issued Thursday, Joby noted its two pre-production aircraft collectively conducted more than 1500 flights, covering a distance of more than 33,000 miles, with more than 100 of these flights including a pilot onboard. Joby also highlighted a significant achievement of its second pre-production aircraft, which conducted the first electric air taxi exhibition flights in New York City, flying from the Manhattan Downtown Heliport over the Hudson River in November 2023.
Joby’s Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt touted the company’s latest achievement, saying, “Our pre-production aircraft were the second full-scale generation of Joby’s design, and their performance met or exceeded our predictions throughout the program, successfully achieving our targets for maximum range, speed, and a revolutionary acoustic footprint.”
With the pre-production testing phase complete, Joby is now focused on conducting flights with its production prototypes as it prepares for formal flight testing and obtaining full commercial airworthiness certification.
Joby’s electric air taxi is engineered to carry a pilot and four passengers, capable of reaching speeds of 200 mph. The aircraft offers high-speed mobility while reducing noise levels in comparison to helicopters and producing zero emissions.
Joby expects to begin commercial passenger operations in 2025 pending FAA certification.
