NASA to assess Joby Aviation's electric air taxi for urban air mobility

Joby Aviation's electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base in California. (Image source: NASA/Joby Aivation)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on September 27 that it would assess the potential integration of California-based aviation company Joby Aviation's electric air taxi into commercial airspace operations in the United States. Joby Aviation delivered its first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to the U.S. Air Force's innovative division, AFWERX Agility Prime, at Edwards Air Force Base in California, on September 25. Agility Prime, a programme within the U.S. Air Force, is dedicated to exploring and evaluating the potential military use of eVTOL aircraft.

NASA said it "has an interagency agreement with AFWERX to use the aircraft for testing concentrated on how such vehicles could fit into the national airspace."

"NASA pilots and researchers will test the Joby aircraft starting in 2024 focusing on air traffic management, flight procedures, and ground-based infrastructure," the space agency further stated.

In the statement, NASA emphasised the potential of air taxis and drones, highlighting their roles in emergency response, wildfire management, and medical supply delivery.

In its statement, NASA also noted that its teams had previously studied Joby's prototype aircraft, and the research comprised obtaining information on the vehicle's motion, sound, acoustic profile throughout various flying stages, and how it communicated with controllers.

Wind study

The space agency said, currently, its Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) research is actively constructing a framework for the seamless integration of future air transportation systems. NASA has expressed its aim to support technologies that will propel the air taxi and drone industry forward while collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to shape new policies based on their research findings.

The space agency on September 6, 2023, had announced the successful completion of a critical wind study, to ensure the safe takeoff and landing of future air taxis. The primary objective of this project was to address uncertainties related to wind and weather conditions that could potentially disrupt flights. The weather study was conducted on remotely operated drone with 10-feet wings, and was aimed to make accurate estimations of the winds in vehicle landing zones that might be impacted by nearby buildings.

In addition to Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation and Beta Technologies are both striving to secure Federal Aviation Administration certification for their aircraft for commercial flight operations.