NASA, Joby Research Provide Glimpse of Air Taxi Operations at US Airports

A series of simulations focused on potential operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, using tools and procedures already available to air traffic controllers.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 03:56 PM ET

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NASA and Joby recruited air traffic controllers to conduct 360-degree simulations of eVTOL operations around airports. [Courtesy: Joby Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

NASA and Joby Aviation successfully conducted virtual simulations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, demonstrating that hundreds of eVTOL air taxi flights can be safely integrated into complex airspace using existing air traffic control (ATC) tools and procedures.
The simulations, involving active and retired ATC personnel, validated that current ATC infrastructure can support the introduction of eVTOLs at scale, aligning with the FAA's Innovate28 plan for early air taxi operations by 2025.
Key findings suggest that the tested procedures could be scaled for operations at other airports nationwide, potentially reducing ATC workload and improving commute efficiency and sustainability.

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Recently, hundreds of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis took flight over the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Missed it? That’s because the flights took place virtually at a NASA research hub.

The space agency and eVTOL manufacturer Joby Aviation recently teamed up to recruit active and retired air traffic controllers for a series of simulations, which explored how current ATC tools and procedures could help introduce the first wave of air taxis at U.S. airports. The partners tested how hundreds of eVOL flights per hour would impact operations in complex airspace—and gleaned a few key insights.