A short trip that usually takes hours on the road could soon be reduced to minutes in the air. Early test flights hint at a major shift in city transportation.
In New York, demonstration flights of a fully electric air taxi between Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport have taken place for the first time. Joby Aviation sees these tests as a step toward launching regular services in megacities around the world.
The first flights of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) took place on Friday, and the test program will continue for several more days. The aircraft resembles a large battery-powered drone and can carry up to five people, including the pilot.
The aircraft lifts off vertically like a helicopter, after which some of its propellers change angle to provide forward motion. The company notes that such aircraft operate more quietly than traditional helicopters and produce no emissions during operation.
The main goal of the project is to reduce travel time between Manhattan and JFK Airport to less than 10 minutes. Currently, such a trip by car can take from one to two hours depending on traffic.
“These flights advance our work in determining how next-generation aviation technologies can serve the residents of New York and New Jersey.”
– Kevin O’Toole
Joby Aviation also owns the service Blade, which already operates similar routes using helicopters. The company is partnering with Delta Air Lines and Uber to develop future air transportation.
Previous eVTOL tests have been ongoing since 2023, but the current 10-day series of flights is part of a federal program to integrate such aircraft into U.S. airspace. In March, the U.S. Department of Transportation selected eight pilot projects to test this technology.
In addition to urban air taxis, the program is also exploring the use of eVTOLs for regional passenger transport, cargo delivery, emergency response, autonomous flights, and work in the energy sector.
The company is working with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as well as the transportation departments of Texas, Utah, Florida, and North Carolina.
In 2024, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released new rules that brought the launch of air taxis closer to practical implementation. Since then, companies, including Joby, have been conducting the necessary tests for certification.
“Together, these pilot projects will create one of the world’s largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft. Data from these projects will be used by the FAA to develop new rules that will allow this futuristic technology to be safely implemented at scale.”
– U.S. Department of Transportation
Currently, Joby Aviation is in the final stage of FAA certification, which includes five main phases. Successful completion of this process will pave the way for the commercial use of electric air taxis in major cities.