Joby Aviation has received permission to begin flight testing of the first production model of the Joby S4 air taxi

Joby Aviation will be able to begin flight testing of the Joby S4 series air taxi. Permission to do so has been granted by the Federal Aviation, Administration (FAA).

Here's What We Know

The Joby S4 is an electric air taxi with vertical take-off and landing capacity for five people. The flying machine can reach speeds of up to 322km/h and has a range of 240km. The aircraft is much quieter than a helicopter and produces no emissions.

The FAA has issued a special airworthiness certificate that allows Joby Aviation to begin production testing. The air taxi is expected to be fully certified in 2024, with operation to begin in another year.

The first air taxi will be shipped to the US Air Force. The Joby S4 is expected to be delivered to US Air Force Base Edwards, California. The service has invested approximately $130m in the company.

Joby Aviation has been developing the air taxi for 10 years. Toyota invested $400 million, which allowed it to build a pilot production line. In all, Joby Aviation was able to raise $2 billion.

Source: New Atlas