Joby Aviation has received permit to fly the first eVTOL built on its production line, according to a report on Wednesday.
This is just one among several milestones that will make it set to deliver its first electric aircraft by 2024.
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After the first aircraft delivery by 2024, the aviation company will be set to launch a commercialized air taxi service the following year.
California pilot production plant, Joby’s Marina — a partner with Toyota — has launched its debut eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle).
This was made possible by a $180 million funding from investor Baillie Gifford in May. The aircraft is Joby’s opening production prototype.
This means Joby is one step away from having a commercially viable eVTOL for passenger use. The eVTOL also happens to be Joby’s third full-scale prototype.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued the production prototype eVTOL an airworthiness certificate, which permits it to begin running test flights.
“This first aircraft coming off our pilot manufacturing line is a really, really big deal for the company,” JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, told the press.
“We have spent many years building the processes and procedures and capabilities as an organization to be able to deliver this level of of aircraft.
“We’ve been building since 2017, but to be able to build with this level of rigor is a huge step forward. It prepares us for this next stage of the certification process.”
The aviation company has already flown over 30,000 miles on pre-production prototype aircraft since 2019.
This most recent iteration is built on that experience and brings Joby closer to obtaining type certification with the FAA.
Type certification implies that the FAA approves of Joby’s aircraft component parts and designs. It also means that the design meets the agency’s standards for airworthiness.
The eVTOL company has almost reached three out of the five required stages of the type certification process, according to Bevirt.
The final step after this certification would be production certification, which will allow Joby to begin mass production of eVTOLs under FAA-approved designs.
Joby already obtained its Part 135 air carrier certification, which allows it to begin on-demand commercial air taxi operations, in May 2022.
The company’s production prototype aircraft might be the first eVTOL delivered to a customer, according the company. It will be delivered at Edwards Air Force Base in 2024.
This is according to Joby’s Agility Prime contract with the U.S. Air Force — worth up to $131 million.
To meet the specified deadline, Joby will have to hasten their work with the Air Force in order to receive military airworthiness certification.
The design of the aircraft will be replicated at Joby’s pilot manufacturing facility.
“We have multiple of these aircraft coming down the production line, and that will be what we’ll be using both for customer applications and also for the type certification process,” said Bevirt.
The pilot manufacturing line partners with Toyota, with the Japanese automaker being its largest external investor and will supply actuation components and powertrains to the company.
Joby announced on Wednesday that Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa, president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, will join Joby’s board of directors on July 1.
“As we look at scaling our manufacturing, we couldn’t be more thrilled to have somebody of his stature joining the Joby board,” said Bevirt.
“We think this really demonstrates Toyota’s commitment to leading in this next stage of mobility.”
Aside from a manufacturer-investor relationship, Joby has also worked with Japanese airline ANA to explore ways to launch an air taxi service in Japan.
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Bevirt wouldn’t say where Joby intends to commercialize air taxi operations first, but he did say that the company has been working closely with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau, which Bevirt describes as “extremely forward leaning.”
“We’ll be continuing to engage with them on our path to bringing the service to Japan,” he said.
