Joby targets vertiport expansion at 25 sites across the United States
December 22, 2025
Joby Aviation has taken a further step toward scaling its US electric air taxi ambitions, unveiling a partnership with artificial intelligence parking specialist Metropolis Technologies to develop up to 25 vertiports across the country.
The agreement reflects a growing industry focus on integrating advanced air mobility (AAM) services into existing transport infrastructure, rather than relying on purpose-built facilities.
For Joby, which is seeking to be among the first companies to launch commercial eVTOL passenger operations, the approach offers a potential shortcut through one of the sector’s most persistent bottlenecks: ground infrastructure.
Joby looks to leverage existing urban footprints
Under the partnership, vertiports would be developed within Metropolis’ portfolio of parking assets, which spans more than 4,200 locations across North America.
The companies say sites will be selected in early launch markets for electric air taxis, with a mix of new builds and retrofitted facilities under consideration.
Metropolis’ AI-based recognition technology would be embedded into the vertiports, enabling frictionless access, payments and passenger processing.
The aim is to position vertiports as extensions of existing ground transport hubs, rather than standalone aviation facilities.
“For air taxis to deliver on their promise of seamless urban travel, they must connect directly with the existing ground transportation ecosystem,” said JoeBen Bevirt, CEO and founder of Joby.
“By leveraging existing parking infrastructure to create mobility hubs, we can deliver on our vision of seamless connectivity for our customers and also maximise the value of those sites without needing to build infrastructure from scratch.”
Policy tailwinds for US AAM
The announcement comes as Washington intensifies its focus on advanced air mobility.
The US Department of Transportation recently launched a national AAM strategy aimed at accelerating certification, infrastructure planning and inter-agency coordination.
The initiative signals growing federal backing for eVTOL services as part of a broader effort to ease urban congestion and modernise transport networks.
Industry observers note that infrastructure integration is central to the strategy, particularly in dense metropolitan areas where land constraints could otherwise limit vertiport deployment.
Early application in New York
In the short term, the partnership will support Joby’s involvement with Blade Urban Air Mobility, which already operates short-hop helicopter flights between Manhattan and New York’s major airports.
Through its Bags Inc subsidiary, Metropolis will provide baggage handling services to Blade passengers in the New York area, addressing one of the practical barriers to wider uptake of urban air services.
Metropolis already delivers parking, remote check-in and in-terminal services at more than 350 airports across North America, experience that Joby believes will translate well to future eVTOL operations.
AI as the backbone of mobility hubs
Metropolis chief executive Alex Israel said the partnership would help the company extend its technology beyond parking and retail environments.
“The real world is the next frontier for AI, and our partnership with Joby marks a critical first step in expanding the Metropolis platform into true mobility hubs to deliver remarkable value for Members and partners alike,” he said.
“This transformational partnership is the very definition of Applied AI in the physical world.”
At the Dubai Airshow last month, Joby announced the construction of three additional vertiports to be added to Dubai’s electric air taxi network.
The three new sites will include the American University of Dubai, Atlantis the Royal, and the Dubai Mall.
According to a Joby statement, the three new vertiports, in conjunction with another already under construction at Dubai International Airport (DXB), “will enable Joby to deliver high-speed, emissions-free connections between some of Dubai’s most high-profile destinations, as part of its six-year exclusive agreement with the RTA to establish air taxi services in the emirate.”
Featured image: Joby Aviation
