Joby Rolls Out Second Air Taxi Prototype, Breaks Ground on Expansion

The manufacturer has completed its second production prototype, which it says will join its initial prototype at Edwards Air Force Base in California later this year.

Jack Daleo

Monday, April 29, 2024 at 04:16 PM ET

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Joby has now manufactured two eVTOL prototypes on its pilot production line in Marina, California, where the company says another two aircraft are in final assembly. [Courtesy: Joby Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Joby Aviation unveiled its second eVTOL prototype from its Marina, California facility and broke ground on a significant expansion there to double production capacity and establish training/maintenance hubs.
The second prototype is slated to join the first at Edwards Air Force Base for joint testing with the U.S. Air Force, as part of an expanded $131 million contract supporting early operations and type certification.
The Marina expansion plays a foundational role for initial production and supporting operations, complementing Joby's larger manufacturing plant in Dayton, Ohio, which aims for 500 aircraft annually by 2025.
Joby is progressing towards FAA type certification and targets commercial air taxi services in major U.S. cities by 2025, in partnership with Delta Air Lines.

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Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi manufacturer Joby Aviation on Monday rolled out the second prototype aircraft built on its pilot production line at Marina Municipal Airport (KOAR) in California, where it also broke ground on a previously announced expansion.

Joby rolled out its first production prototype from Marina in June, delivering it in September to Edwards Air Force base (KEDW) in California ahead of schedule. There, U.S. Air Force personnel are using the aircraft to conduct logistics and other missions during joint testing. Joby and AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force, signed an aircraft development and flight testing contract in 2020 that has since been expanded multiple times.