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.

Monday, December 15, 2025 at 04:00 PM ET

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Joby’s eVTOL air taxi soars past Mount Fuji during a public demonstration flight over the Fuji Speedway in Japan. [Credit: Joby Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Joby Aviation is targeting a 2026 launch for its S4 air taxi passenger service, having significantly increased flight testing in 2025.
In 2025, Joby completed over 850 flights and 9,000 miles, demonstrating its eVTOL's operational maturity and performance within FAA airworthiness standards across various international locations.
The company plans to begin FAA Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) testing in 2026 and is exploring non-commercial passenger flights in the UAE to gather data that may contribute to FAA certification.
Despite Joby's aggressive timeline, industry analysts project a later commercial launch (potentially mid-to-late 2027 or beyond) for eVTOL developers due to the ongoing certification process.