Joby Aviation is a California-based mobility company building quiet electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft founded in 2009 by JoeBen Bevirt. Fast-forward to 2019. After a decade of core technology development, design verification and flight testing via technology demonstrators, a pre-production prototype of Joby’s eVTOL aircraft had taken shape, and its success gave way to a formal application for FAA type certification in 2018.With zero operating emissions, Joby’s eVTOL aircraft can carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph. It’s designed for rapid flights across congested metropolitan areas, featuring an exceedingly quiet acoustic profile that the company believes will blend in with the existing soundscape in large cities, and Joby says charging time for most operations will match the time it takes to load and unload passengers.In January 2020, Joby announced plans to build a pilot manufacturing plant in Marina, California, at the city’s municipal airports, with the help of its manufacturing partner and strategic investor Toyota.The eVTOL market has become increasingly active and competitive, with companies like Archer Aviation, Bell Textron Inc. and Embraer SA racing towards the air taxi space. eVTOLs have that cutting-edge, “wow” factor for urban transport. Technology has provided new ways to travel short distances to avoid the hectic on-ground traffic and, with Joby’s easy-to-use ridesharing model featuring partners like Uber, a few clicks on your mobile device and you’ll be off. But it doesn’t stop there. Electric propulsion allows for greater efficiency, and the use of lightweight composites strengthen Joby’s air taxi design.Joby has continued gaining altitude, securing the first U.S. Air Force airworthiness certification for an eVTOL aircraft through its Agility Prime program. In late 2022, Joby partnered with Delta Air Lines to pioneer home-to-airport transportation for Delta customers in a multi-year, multi-city agreement that initially focuses on New York City and Los Angeles.This sector of mobility continues to gain attention for major players like Boeing, Airbus, and Hyundai, all of which have joined in the race to build air taxis. However, Joby’s agility adds real value, allowing the company to stay ahead of the competition – including the majors. Joby has kept its design, engineering, fabrication and validation testing almost entirely in-house, providing many advantages, such as fabricating components a walking distance away from design and engineering offices. Moreover, the use of composite materials allows for fast feedback to design and engineering improvements. Carbon fiber and other fibrous structures manufactured by weaving or knitting technologies offer weight reduction, increasing the range and speed of Joby’s aircraft. Metrology and validation are controlled in-house, ensuring the conformity of parts in line with specific requirements.Joby is working alongside Toyota, to concentrate on scaling towards a future steady production rate in order to meet demand, incorporating their expertise on areas including factory floor layout, cloud-based automation and fast-feedback preventive maintenance to minimize downtime, control quality and reduce waste.Joby is positioned to provide a positive disruption towards the way we connect to people and places – and with a carbon-neutral footprint.
