Joby Aviation's flying taxi takes to the skies
Joby Aviation just kicked off official flight tests for its all-electric air taxi, the S4, in California.
This is a big step in getting FAA approval to actually carry passengers, and if all goes well, you might spot these flying taxis in the skies soon.
The S4 is designed to be super quiet
The S4 fits one pilot and four passengers, cruises at 322km/h, and has a range of about 241km on a single charge.
It runs on batteries, uses six tilting propellers for smooth takeoff and landing, and is designed to be super quiet—quieter than city traffic.
After racking up 50,000-plus test miles already, safety features like triple-redundant controls are built right in.
Joby has the opportunity to begin early operations in 2026
Thanks to a White House-backed program, Joby has the opportunity to begin early operations in 10 states, including New York, Texas, and Florida, in 2026, subject to final agreements and regulatory approvals.
Joby aims to ramp production in future, but the source article does not specify a target year or an Ohio factory.