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 on the cusp of FAA type certification for its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which aims to provide quiet, accessible "last mile" aerial transport with a 100 sm range for a pilot and four passengers.
The Joby aircraft features six electric rotors with custom-designed, dual-wound motors and redundant battery packs, engineered for exceptional quietness during takeoff and flight.
Its flight control system utilizes simplified, unified controls, drawing inspiration from military hardware, to manage complex maneuvers automatically and protect the flight envelope, making it accessible to a broader range of operators.
Joby employs a deeply vertically integrated manufacturing strategy, designing and producing nearly all critical components in-house—from motors and batteries to composite parts—supported by insights from investors like Toyota.

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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.