Joby eVTOL Prototype Obtains Special Airworthiness Certificate

DALLAS — Joby Aviation has announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted the company's first aircraft, built at its Pilot Production Line in Marina, California, a Special Airworthiness Certificate on Wednesday, June 27.

It is a step for Joby to continue with the next phase of flight testing for its first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) production prototype.

Kazuhiro Sato (left) and Jordin Gischler (right) present a completed tilt actuator, manufactured at Joby’s San Carlos production facility with key parts supplied by Toyota. Photo: Joby Aviation

Toyota Partnership

Toyota, a strategic partner, and investor, collaborated closely with Joby on the production line and the aircraft-building process. Toyota is the largest external shareholder in Joby, having invested approximately US$400m.

Joby signed a long-term agreement with Toyota to supply key powertrain and actuation components for the production of the Company’s aircraft. The components will be designed by Joby and manufactured by Toyota. Tetsuo "Ted" Ogawa, President and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, is set to join Joby's Board of Directors.

Joby has formally applied to the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) to validate its planned FAA aircraft type certification.

The first aircraft to come off Joby’s Pilot Production Line in Marina, CA (left). Photo: Joby Aviation

Demonstrator

Joby's subscale demonstrator was completed in 2014, and flights with the full-scale demonstrator have been conducted since 2017. Their pre-production prototype aircraft has flown over 30,000 miles since 2019, gathering invaluable data and experience.

Joby completed the second of five stages in the type certification process at the beginning of the year. The first step is to specify the Certification Basis. The second stage entails determining how to demonstrate the Means of Compliance.

The issuance of the Special Airworthiness Certificate positions the company to realize its vision of introducing to customers the world's eVTOL aircraft and what the company calls, "Electric Aerial Ridesharing."

Featured image: Joby Aviation