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Joby Agrees to eVTOL Certification Requirements with FAA

By Kelsey Reichmann | February 9, 2021
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Joby Aviation has begun revenue generating flights as part of the U.S. Air Force Agility Prime program, while also establishing a new baseline for the eVTOL certification requirements they will meet for the FAA. (Joby Aviation)

Joby Aviation has agreed to G1 certification conditions with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the company announced on Feb. 9. The company also announced that it has achieved its next milestone in the Agility Prime program by beginning to generate revenue. 

The certification agreement between Joby and the FAA will lay out requirements for Joby’s eVTOL aircraft to be certified for commercial operations marking a major step in the company’s goal of operating aircraft in 2024. 

“While we still have several years of aircraft testing ahead of us, we now have a clearly defined, and achievable, path to certifying our aircraft and introducing customer flights,” JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, said in a press statement. “Reaching this milestone is a watershed moment for our new industry and I’m tremendously grateful for the many years of hard work the FAA and our in-house aviation safety experts have put into getting us to this point.”

The aircraft will be certified using the FAA’s Part 23 requirements with the special conditions listed in the G1 added to account for the unique nature of the aircraft. Details about the conditions within the G1 agreement have not been released and are expected to be published in the Federal Register in the next few months, according to the company. 

Joby’s eVTOL aircraft was awarded military airworthiness approval in Dec. 2020 through the AFWERX Agility Prime program. 

“The Agility Prime and Joby partnership is now on an accelerated path to identify the opportunities for early adoption of these aircraft for logistics that provide flexibility to operators and savings to taxpayers. We are also one step closer to the commercialization of a clean, quiet, modern, transportation system,” Nathan P. Diller, AFWERX Agility Prime Director, said in a press statement. 

While Agility Prime is run through the Air Force, it is intended to mature technology for commercial use and allow the military to gain data and insights into the technology industry could have available to them. 

“The Agility Prime program represents an invaluable opportunity to understand and accelerate the positive impact of clean, electric aircraft in the US and beyond,” Bevirt said. “With ten years of engineering and more than a 1,000 test flights behind us, we’re excited to now be playing a key role in demonstrating the potential of this new sector while giving the U.S. Government a front row seat.”

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