Joby Aviation plans air taxis in New York, Florida, Texas

US air taxi developer Joby Aviation plans to launch commercial electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) services in New York City, Florida and Texas. The company is also planning to operate during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a company executive said in an interview reported by FreightWaves.

Greg Bowles, Joby’s Chief Policy Officer, said the initial launches would take place under the federal eVTOL Integrated Pilot Program (EIPP). The programme allows limited commercial operations in selected states before an aircraft receives full type certification, according to the report.

Joby entered the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) certification process in 2018 and is now nearing type certification for its six-propeller electric aircraft. Florida is among the first states selected for the EIPP. Joby recently marked the occasion by recreating the 1914 flight from St Petersburg to Tampa, regarded as the world’s first commercial flight, using its own aircraft.

The aircraft currently undergoing testing is designed to serve routes of up to 100 miles. Joby said it is prioritising busy two-way corridors to keep fares competitive and avoid empty return journeys.

One such route is between John F Kennedy International Airport and Manhattan, currently served by helicopters operated by Blade Air Mobility, which Joby has acquired. The journey takes about seven minutes, with fares starting at 249. Joby plans to begin replacing Blade’s helicopter services with its aircraft in the coming year, the report said.

On safety and noise, Bowles said the six-propeller design is central to both. Each of the six motor stations has dual redundancy, meaning a complete propeller failure would require two independent failures at a single station. If one station fails while the aircraft is hovering, it can compensate and maintain controlled flight using the remaining four, he said.

He described the aircraft’s low noise level as a deliberate outcome of using several smaller electric motors instead of one large rotor. He said this was essential for gaining community acceptance and regulatory approval.

Regarding airspace integration, Joby highlighted its acquisition of autonomous flight company X-Wing, whose camera, microphone and LiDAR systems detect other aircraft and drones. The company said it had recently completed what it described as the first coast-to-coast series of autonomous flights involving a large aircraft. It also announced new defence contracts with the US Air Force the day before the interview.

Bowles said he was confident that the service would become widely accessible to the public well before 2035, although he did not provide a specific date. He cited a demonstration landing at Toyota’s North American headquarters in Plano, Texas, as evidence that the aircraft requires little ground infrastructure. Toyota is one of Joby’s partners.

Manufacturing capacity is now the main factor determining how quickly the service can expand beyond densely populated urban markets.