A sleek, black-and-white aircraft sat motionless on a podium amid the storefronts and bustling customers at Los Angeles’ Globe Shopping Mall.
Shoppers took a closer look as they passed, some taking photos with their cellphones. Joby Aviation, the company behind the machine, says the all-electric aircraft could revolutionize urban transportation and provide an escape from Los Angeles traffic.
Joby is one of several players in a fast-growing industry that is making flying cars a reality by bringing electric aircraft to cities and integrating them into transportation systems such as Uber. This aircraft combines airplane and helicopter technology and is capable of vertical takeoff and landing.
Officials working to bring air taxis to market say they are significantly quieter than traditional helicopters, have more safety features and have zero emissions. Joby says the technology will save customers significant travel time, especially in a sprawling city plagued by traffic congestion like Los Angeles.
“This is an innovative type of aircraft that is quiet and efficient, and it solves the problem of how to make small-scale air travel accessible at all times,” said Eric Allison, Joby Chief Product Officer. he said.
Joby’s all-day public event at the Globe gave community members a chance to see the aircraft, sit inside and ask questions about the technology, he said.
Santa Cruz-based Joby was founded by CEO Joben Bebert in 2009, around the time Tesla launched its first all-electric car, the Roadster. Archer Aviation entered the field in 2018 in Santa Clara, California, and plans to commercially launch air taxis as early as next year.
The first all-electric airplane certified by the Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the Santa Monica Airport this month, according to builder Eco Aviation Foundation International.
Joby’s air taxi is powered by six propellers and four battery packs, but it’s not yet ready to fly customers over busy highways. Joby is testing a prototype aircraft in California, but the company has only completed three of the five stages of the FAA certification process.
Joby would need FAA approval to operate commercially in Los Angeles or anywhere else in the country. Allison said he hopes to introduce taxis in Los Angeles in time for the 2028 Olympics. Taxis will be subject to the same traffic and regulatory standards as other small aircraft.
“The pilots flying these aircraft will be given a commercial rating and will be operating in the airspace under the exact same rules that any other pilot is operating under,” Allison said in an interview. .
Joby creates a unique training curriculum for pilots to fly aircraft that can fly at 200 miles per hour at altitudes up to 10,000 feet. The plane can accommodate four passengers and one pilot, and has a simple interior design.
The model plane at the Globe had four tan seats with car-like seat belts and plenty of leg room. Allison said the aircraft is especially safe because it has built-in redundancies made possible by electrical technology, including multiple motors, batteries and propellers.
Joby’s goal is to make short-haul air travel accessible and convenient for everyday city dwellers, Allison said. He said the company plans to launch air taxis at a similar price point to Uber Black, but the long-term goal is to bring the price down to a level similar to Uber X.
An Uber Black ride from downtown Los Angeles to Los Angeles International Airport costs about $100, but prices vary depending on time of day and demand. Uber X for the same trip costs about $60.
Allison said most Joby air taxi trips involve multiple legs. When a customer books an air trip using an app like Uber, a car will pick them up and take them to the nearest launch pad.
At the end of the flight, another vehicle will transport you from the landing point to your final destination. Allison said air taxis could use existing helicopter infrastructure for takeoff and landing, but at least some helipads would need charging capabilities to power the taxis.
Joby is also working on building takeoff and landing infrastructure at U.S. airports through a partnership with Delta Air Lines.
Outside the United States, Joby applied to become a certified electric air taxi operator in the United Arab Emirates in September.
