Joby Aviation confirmed it plans to have five electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in the final phases of FAA certification by 2025. The milestone puts the company on track to launch commercial passenger services by 2026.
CEO JoeBen Bevirt told an industry conference in Detroit that Joby needs just one certified aircraft to start air tours and two for scheduled urban routes.
“We only need one to start air tours, and we need two to start a route,” Bevirt said.
Manufacturing Expansion Doubles Production Capacity
Joby has doubled production capacity at its Marina, California facility to 435,000 square feet. The expanded site can now manufacture 24 eVTOL aircraft annually – up from 12.
The Marina facility has already produced six aircraft. The latest unit received airworthiness certification within a week and is now in flight testing.
Joby’s test fleet of five eVTOLs and a hydrogen-powered demonstrator has logged more than 40,000 flight miles. Recent milestones include simultaneous multi-aircraft flight and the first successful piloted transition from hover to wingborne flight for any full-scale tiltrotor eVTOL prototype.
The company is also conducting tests with the U.S. Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base. It’s committed to delivering two aircraft to MacDill Air Force Base by the end of 2025.
International Launch Plans Target UAE First
Joby is applying for an Air Operator Certificate from the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority. The company completed a successful test flight in Dubai and aims to begin passenger services there in early 2026.
That would be followed by air taxi networks in the United States – including New York and Los Angeles – through partnerships with Delta Air Lines and Uber.
Toyota remains Joby’s largest investor and strategic partner. With a pending $250 million investment tranche, Toyota’s total commitment will approach $900 million. Toyota engineers are embedded across Joby’s design, quality, and manufacturing teams.
Joby has also entered a long-term agreement with Toyota to supply key components including powertrains and actuators. The Japanese automaker is exploring opportunities to manufacture and operate Joby aircraft in Japan.
Ohio Facility Targets Mass Production
Beyond California, Joby acquired a 140-acre site at Dayton International Airport in Ohio. The facility will span 2 million square feet and eventually produce up to 500 eVTOLs annually.
Production of titanium and aluminum components is expected to begin this year.
Competitor Archer Aviation is building a mass production facility in Georgia with support from Stellantis. Archer aims to produce 650 Midnight air taxis annually.
But Joby’s integrated approach – from research and development to operations – and deep manufacturing partnerships position it to be among the first to launch certified commercial eVTOL services.
With FAA certification approaching and scalable production underway, 2026 could mark Joby Aviation’s transition from testing to commercial operations.
