Joby Extends U.S. Air Force Contract, Bringing Total to $131 Million

Under the agreement, the eVTOL manufacturer will supply USAF with nine Joby electric air taxis.

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 05:50 PM ET

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A pair of U.S. Air Force pilots inspect Joby’s eVTOL air taxi before a remotely piloted test flight. [Credit: Joby Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has significantly expanded its contract with Joby Aviation, awarding an additional $55 million, bringing the total value to approximately $131 million for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis.
Under this contract, Joby Aviation will deliver and operate nine five-seat electric air taxis to the Air Force starting next year, marking the first time such aircraft will be stationed at a military base.
These air taxis will be used to demonstrate various military applications, including personnel and cargo transport, resupply, and emergency medical responses, and provide crucial operational insights for the DoD.
The partnership with the DoD, facilitated by the Agility Prime program, is also accelerating Joby's development and preparation for commercial operations, which are anticipated to begin in 2025.

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At this point, we’ve all seen the Jetsonian visions of air taxis zipping people to their destinations through the air. But the early users of these services will not be commuters or soccer moms.

Rather, it’ll be the United States Department of Defense. The agency on Tuesday awarded a contract extension to Joby Aviation, one of the leaders in the young air taxi space, through Agility Prime, an initiative designed to get electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft off the ground. Agility Prime falls under AFWERX, the Air Force’s dedicated innovation arm.