Joby Aviation

Joby Aviation is a United States aerospace company that develops electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft intended for commercial air taxi service. It was founded in 2009 and is based in Santa Cruz, California.

What the company builds

Joby's main programme is the S4, a piloted design sized for four passengers. The company describes an aircraft able to fly up to 150 miles on a single charge at speeds up to 200 mph, with electric propulsion and low noise as stated design goals. Joby has also flown a hydrogen-electric variant, completing a 523-mile flight in June 2024.

Where things stand

Joby began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in August 2021 after a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company. It obtained an FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate in May 2022, rolled out its first production aircraft in June 2023, and delivered an aircraft to Edwards Air Force Base in September 2023 under a United States Air Force contract. The first FAA-conforming S4 entered flight testing in March 2026, and in the same month Joby was selected for five projects under the FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. In April 2026 the company flew a point-to-point flight in New York City, from John F. Kennedy International Airport to the West 30th Street Heliport.