In Depth with JoeBen Bevirt Illuminates the Joby Vision

In the quest to free vertical flight, the engineer makes good on a childhood dream.

Julie Boatman

Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 07:12 AM ET

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JoeBen Bevirt spoke with FLYING at the Paris Air Show 2023. [Credit: Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

Joby Aviation was founded by JoeBen Bevirt, whose childhood dream of quiet, electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft for remote access inspired his lifelong pursuit.
His vision became viable with significant advancements in lithium-ion battery technology, which he continuously monitored until they offered sufficient range for eVTOL aircraft.
The company employs a vertically integrated engineering strategy, focusing on deeply understanding and controlling all aspects from materials to a common hardware/software stack, to develop high-performance, safer eVTOLs.
Joby Aviation is actively collaborating with the FAA for certification and recently unveiled its conforming production prototype, marking a significant step towards realizing its goal.

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In the folds of the Santa Cruz Mountains in California, a boy grew up dreaming of a different kind of flight—one that wouldn’t be constrained by the traditional means of lifting off and landing in challenging places, just like the remote enclave his parents called home in the 1970s and ’80s. Yes, helicopters would, in theory, take him where he wanted to go, but the noise produced by a typical combustion engine and rotor blades shattered the quiet he wished to preserve.

This dream provoked a vision for JoeBen Bevirt—one he has singularly pursued ever since.