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 advancing its eVTOL aircraft towards FAA type certification, designed for quiet, accessible aerial transport for a pilot and four passengers with a 100-mile electric range.
The aircraft incorporates a unique simplified flight control system, inspired by military hardware, to provide continuous envelope protection and ease of operation, making it accessible to a broader user base.
Joby pursues deep vertical integration, designing and manufacturing nearly all critical components in-house, including custom 3D-printed titanium motors and battery packs, to achieve precise performance and weight targets.
The company is actively establishing operational and training infrastructure, including Part 135 and 141 certifications, to facilitate commercial service and pilot transition into the new powered-lift category.

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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.