NASA Kicks Off Air Taxi Flight Testing with Joby: Who is Behind this Aviation Company?

NASA has a breakthrough mission that it has recently accomplished with the aviation company, Joby.

The collaboration of the international space agency has brought air taxis to reality.

Joby's electric VTOL aircraft started to take off last month, Aug. 30. NASA saw this mission to be a beneficial part of its airspace journey that would focus more on simulation and modeling of the space vehicles.

NASA and Joby Conducts eVTOL Test For the First Time

There would be a series of flight tests for the electric air taxi that would continue until Sept.10.

Throughout the course of the flight, there would be 50 microphones assigned to measure the profile of the sound signal on its surroundings.

In line with the Advanced Air Mobility campaign, Joby guarantees that this first-ever flight test for eVTOL will be able to make the flying taxis "marketable" in the next few years.

Aside from the electric air taxis, the company is also working to ready the delivery drones and other types of aircraft for commercial use.

Moreover, the flight program will yield the data for the 2022 campaign tests. Again, this would involve the taxis and how it adapts to different complicated situations during flight.

According to a report by Engadget on Saturday, Sept. 4, the flight test would introduce the use of flying taxis in the long run in the United States.

It also appears to be a preparation for a surge of air traffic in the future.

Before engaging with NASA, Joby had invested $394 million from Toyota. Last year, it acquired the air taxi business of Uber.

At the moment, Joby is still testing the waters with its electric air taxi. So far, its collaboration with NASA looks promising for the development of aerospace vehicles.

Who is Behind Joby Aviation?

Joby Aviation continues to rise following its entrance to the New York Stock Exchange last month. As of Aug.10, the SEC filings for its CEO, JoeBen Bevirt reached $1.08 billion making him an official billionaire.

The idea from Bevirt about creating a helicopter started in 2009.

Born in Last Chance, California, his name has an interesting origin. It came from Merry Prankster Ken Kesey's novel.

In a report by Forbes last month, Bevirt said in a past interview that he first conceptualized the flying machine during second grade. That is where all his dreams started.

He finished engineering at Stanford University and the University of California.

Flying Car and Ferry

Earlier this year, a Boston-based startup Regent saw the potential of developing an electric flying ferry dubbed as "sea glider."

According to Regent, it is planning to launch this new-age flying machine in 2025. Besides that it will lessen traffic, it is also nature-friendly since it will use 100% electricity.

Compared to the traditional ferry, the sea glider can reach speeds in water for up to 180 mph. The co-founders of this flying vehicle will serve the passengers from Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

In 2019, Japanese firm NEC conducted the first flight test for its battery-operated flying car. The vehicle flew for nearly 10 feet before going down again.

Related Article: Electric Flying Taxi 'Maker' That Takeoffs/Lands Vertically to Commercially Launch in 2024

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Written by Joseph Henry