Company has become the first to achieve multiple pilot-on-board eVTOL transitions
It's hit a major landmark The post Company has become the first to achieve multiple pilot-on-board eVTOL transitions appeared first on Supercar Blondie.
US electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company Joby Aviation has become the first in the world to achieve multiple transitions with a pilot on board.
Joby is already a key player in the eVTOL industry and is currently developing an electric air taxi.
It hit a new milestone this week when it announced it successfully completed a flight with a full transition from vertical to cruise flight, and back again, with a pilot onboard.
The company has since completed several other flights, using three different pilots.
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The eVTOL company hit a major milestone
The world of eVTOLs – sometimes dubbed ‘flying cars’ – is heating up.
There are several big names working in the space, including a handful from China, where industry experts say there could be as many as 100,000 in use by 2030.
Meanwhile, in the US, Joby Aviation has been making waves.
The company’s all-electric air taxi can carry up to four passengers and hit speeds of up to 200MPH (321KMH).
On April 22, 2025, Joby hit an important milestone after completing numerous flights that involved transitions, with a pilot on board.
The test flights took place at Joby’s facility in Marina, California, and involved three different pilots.
“I’m honored to have played a role in this historic moment,” said pilot James ‘Buddy’ Denham.
“Designing and flying an aircraft that can seamlessly transition between vertical and cruise flight has long been considered one of the most challenging technological feats in aerospace.
“But our team has developed and built an aircraft that makes it feel like an everyday task.
“The aircraft flew exactly as expected, with excellent handling qualities and low pilot workload.”
Joby is set to launch its air taxi service in Dubai next year
The company has plans to launch its air taxi service in Dubai in early 2026. It says the recent tests have helped prepare for that.
It will also serve as a stepping stone to start tests with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilots.
“Achieving this milestone is hugely significant,” said Joby Aviation President of Aircraft OEM, Didier Papadopolous.
“We have taken a very methodical approach to achieving this […] milestone, with an immense amount of testing […] that allowed us to move from one historic flight to routine pilot-on-board transitions almost overnight.”The post Company has become the first to achieve multiple pilot-on-board eVTOL transitions appeared first on Supercar Blondie.
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