A First Look at Joby’s eVTOL Future

The production model is ready for flight test, but are we ready to fly?

Thursday, April 04, 2024 at 08:40 AM ET

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We observed Joby flight in the sim in D.C., at left, and watching the remotely piloted demo flight at Marina, above. [Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

Joby Aviation is pioneering accessible "last mile" aerial transport with its quiet, 100 sm range eVTOL aircraft, which features six electric rotors and advanced, simplified flight controls.
The company utilizes deep vertical integration, designing and manufacturing custom components like 3D-printed titanium motors and redundant battery systems in-house to ensure precise performance and safety.
Joby is actively pursuing FAA type certification for its aircraft and plans to operate it exclusively through its own Part 135 and 141 services, focusing on intuitive controls for new types of pilots.

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Joby Aviation glows with the shining health of an organization led by a vision drawn from childhood dreams. The California-born-and-bred company, founded by JoeBen Bevirt, feels clear in its purpose: to make the most challenging “last mile” of aerial transport between points an accessible—and quiet—reality.

Bevirt thought up the premise for an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) as he walked home from the last point a school bus could take him near his home in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. Today, Joby is a roughly $4 billion-cap enterprise on the cusp of its type certification for-credit testing with the FAA on an evolution of the very vehicle Bevirt envisioned would lift him from that dusty bus stop into the peaceful meadow near his parents’ forest home.