Updated Tuesday, December 19 at 10:15 a.m. EDT with additional information from Joby.
Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation believes 2026 will be the year its air taxi begins flying passengers.
Why Joby Thinks Passenger Air Taxi Service Will Lift Off in 2026
Developer recaps a year of flight testing ahead of planned type inspection authorization trials with the FAA in 2026.
Key Takeaways:
- Joby Aviation aims to launch its S4 air taxi passenger service by 2026, having significantly increased flight testing in 2025 across the US, Japan, and UAE.
- The company's test aircraft are meeting FAA airworthiness standards, with expectations to begin critical FAA Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) testing in 2026.
- While exploring early, non-commercial passenger flights in the UAE to gather data, industry analysts forecast a later commercial launch (mid-to-late 2027 or beyond) for eVTOLs due to the slow pace of TIA advancement.
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