Confirming Joby eVTOL heads to final assembly as it pulls ahead in certification race
August 8, 2025
Joby Aviation has started final assembly of its first FAA-conforming electric air taxi, marking a major step forward in the race toward commercial eVTOL operations.
The aircraft, which will be used for Type Inspection Authorisation (TIA) flight testing, is being assembled at Joby’s Marina, California facility. It will initially be flown by company test pilots, with FAA pilots expected to follow shortly after as part of the final phase of type certification.
Didier Papadopoulos, President of Aircraft OEM at Joby, said:
“We said we’d deliver a conforming aircraft in 2025—and that’s exactly what we’re doing, all in alignment with FAA support.”
Joby is moving to stage five of eVTOL certification
Joby’s four-passenger aircraft has been under development for over a decade, with the company now progressing through stage four of the FAA’s five-stage certification process.
In a second-quarter update last week, Joby said it had completed 70% of its tasks under stage four, while the FAA has completed over 50% of its side of the work, up from 40% the previous quarter.
More than half of Joby’s test plans have been accepted by the regulator, and the company confirmed that both the aircraft design and its manufacturing processes comply with FAA standards.
Final assembly will see the installation of flight controls, interiors, and the six tilting propellers that enable vertical take-off and landing.
The start of conforming aircraft production positions Joby as one of the most advanced players in the urban air mobility (UAM) sector. While several competing developers are also targeting commercial entry in 2025–26, none have yet reached the final assembly stage of a conforming airframe.
Demand is high for Joby eVTOL
Alongside its civil aircraft, Joby is working with L3Harris to develop a hybrid-electric military variant of its eVTOL platform. The aircraft, which includes a gas turbine generator, is on track to fly later this year, with US government demonstrations scheduled for 2026.
Joby has struck several international partnerships, including plans to deliver air taxi services in Dubai from 2026, a memorandum of understanding with Abdul Latif Jameel in Saudi Arabia for up to 200 aircraft, and a joint venture in Japan targeting a fleet of 100 aircraft.
The firm recently purchased Blade’s air taxi business, giving it a ready-made network of helipads and clients.
The company’s ability to maintain momentum through certification, international expansion, and defence development has positioned it as a front-runner in the emerging AAM market.
However, it still faces critical hurdles ahead, including FAA TIA testing, production certification, and the scale-up of its manufacturing capability, before it can carry paying passengers.
