Joby Aviation begins power-on testing of first FAA-conforming eVTOL aircraft

Summary Points:

• Joby Aviation, Inc. in Santa Cruz, Calif., has begun power-on testing of its first FAA-conforming eVTOL aircraft built for Type Inspection Authorization (TIA).
• Flight testing by Joby pilots is expected later this year, with FAA pilots taking over in 2026.
• TIA tests validate aircraft performance, including range, speed, energy management, flight control, handling qualities, and operational procedures for commercial service.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - Joby Aviation, Inc. in Santa Cruz, Calif., a company developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis for commercial passenger service, announced that it has begun power-on testing of the first of several Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-conforming aircraft built for Type Inspection Authorization, or TIA. The milestone allows Joby to start conducting hardware and software integration tests in preparation for "for credit" flight testing with FAA test pilots. 

"Beginning this aircraft subsystem testing is the culmination of more than a decade of focused engineering and certification refinements," said Didier Papadopoulos, president of Aircraft OEM at Joby. "This is the moment where our intended type design, our manufacturing process, and our certification strategy converge into one physical asset. It validates that we can design a safe aircraft and produce it reliably. This first testing step is one of the most important milestones in Joby’s history to date and puts us closer than ever to achieving FAA certification."

Joby’s first TIA-ready aircraft has been manufactured under the company’s quality management system and adheres precisely to the intended type design for TIA testing. Each TIA aircraft will be built with FAA-conforming components as required by FAA-approved test plans. These components are designed and inspected according to FAA Designated Engineering Representative standards and signed off by FAA Designated Airworthiness Representatives.

Related: Joby starts testing eVTOL structures with FAA

Validating 

The TIA tests include validating the aircraft’s performance envelope - range, speed, and energy management -under real-world conditions. Pilots will also evaluate flight control systems and handling qualities across all flight regimes, from vertical takeoff and landing through wingborne cruise and back to hover. In addition, the TIA phase assesses operational procedures that will govern commercial service, including maintenance manuals, pilot training programs, and the functionality and reliability of all onboard systems, such as avionics, propulsion, and redundancies.

Data collected during TIA testing will be used by the FAA to make its final determination on issuing a Type Certification for Joby’s aircraft, the approval required to operate the aircraft commercially.