Joby launches Australia certification bid

Joby, already in leader in the competitive market to get eVTOLs off the ground, has revealed it has formally begun the certification process in Australia. 

The firm hopes to start air taxi networks around the world and has completed three of the five stages of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)  certification in its home United States. 

The all-electric aircraft is designed for a pilot and up to four passengers, and Joby intends to compete with existing helicopter services, but it says its craft will create less noise and no emissions. 

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approval process in Australia is supported directly by the US FAA as part of a bi-lateral agreement between te two regulatory bodies. 

The process of “type certification validation” means Joby’s eVTOL vehicle can be automatically approved in Australia, once it passes the final two stages of type certification in the US. 

The company has registered with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) and the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). If approved, the NYSE-traded company would have access to key markets in which to launch its air taxi networks. 

Joby said its aircraft has completed more than 30,000 miles of flight testing, including the landmark flight in New York City in November 2023. 

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, said the company hoped to benefit from CASA’s existing frameworks. 

“With commercial powered-lift operations already considered in CASA’s regulatory frameworks, we’re pleased to be working with Australian authorities using a regulatory path to market that is actively being pursued by numerous countries around the world.”

“We’re incredibly excited about the potential for air taxis to offer new and more sustainable ways to travel around Australia’s global cities,” Bevirt added.