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Since CW’s last report on electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer (Santa Cruz, Calif., U.S.) in August 2025, the company has continued to rapidly lay the groundwork for the start of commercial flights in early 2026 (specifically in Dubai). Milestones include beginning power-on testing of its first conforming S4 aircraft on Nov. 5, and new commitments with the Middle East, including plans for an air taxi service in Saudi Arabia and updates to Dubai’s aircraft network development (Joby received exclusive rights to fly in Dubai in 2024), joining the U.S., the U.K., Japan and South Korea.

Propeller manufacturing begins

At the end of October 2025, Joby began manufacturing propeller blades at its Dayton, Ohio facility, which further supports eVTOL aircraft production ahead of commercial launch. “Joby’s propeller blades are a key part of what makes our aircraft special — central to its low acoustic profile and the result of a decade of complex engineering,” says Eric Allison, chief production officer at Joby. 

Designed for quiet flight and built with extreme precision, the propeller blades require complex carbon fiber manufacturing processes and a highly skilled workforce, both available in Dayton. With five blades per propeller and 30 per aircraft, production could reach up to 15,000 blades a year as part of Joby’s plan to scale in Ohio. Conforming blades — those meeting all requirements for FAA inspection and certification — are expected to be completed this month, with installation on flight test aircraft targeted for 2026.

Over time, Joby’s Dayton footprint is expected to be able to support production of up to 500 aircraft a year, making this facility a strategic site for the mass production of its aircraft components.

Path to commercialization

On Nov. 5, Joby began power-on testing of the first of several Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-conforming aircraft to be built for type inspection authorization (TIA). This enables the company to begin conducting thousands of hardware and software integration tests in preparation for “for credit” flight testing with FAA test pilots operating the aircraft. TIA testing is part of the final stage of the FAA type certification (TC) process — with flight testing by Joby pilots expected to start later in 2025, ahead of FAA pilots taking the controls in 2026.

During TIA testing, Joby will be working side-by-side with the FAA to ensure the aircraft meets all safety and performance requirements. The testing includes performance validation, control and handling, and maintenance and operations. Data collected during these TIA tests will be used by the FAA to make its final determination on issuing a TC for Joby’s aircraft.

Building services in Saudi Arabia

On Nov. 12, Joby and the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA, Riyadh) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will use FAA certification standards as a foundation to create a streamlined approval process for Joby’s aircraft in Saudi Arabia.

To support the development of the Kingdom’s air taxi regulatory framework, Joby and GACA will focus on three core initiatives based on Joby’s FAA certification efforts:

• Provide technical expertise across type design, production and operational domains to inform the development of a comprehensive regulatory framework that ensures the safe, efficient and scalable deployment of advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft within the Kingdom.
• Collaboration on airworthiness standards, ensuring an efficient validation process of the FAA TC.
• Development and harmonization of key regulations to enable the initial phase of operations, including pilot licensing, maintenance and airspace integration frameworks.

Joby’s broader commercialization strategy in Saudi Arabia includes key partnerships with Abdul Latif Jameel, which is exploring delivery of up to 200 Joby aircraft valued at approximately $1 billion, and Aloula Aviation (formerly Mukamalah Aviation), the aviation subsidiary of Saudi Aramco. The announcement also builds on the renewed economic partnership between the U.S. administration and the Saudi government.

Dubai air taxi network takes flight

On Nov. 17, the next three vertiports to be added to Dubai’s electric air taxi network, alongside Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Skyports Infrastructure, were announced. The sites — at the American University of Dubai, Atlantis the Royal and the Dubai Mall — will enable Joby to deliver high-speed, emissions-free connections between some of Dubai’s most high-profile destinations, as part of its 6-year exclusive agreement with the RTA to establish air taxi services in the Emirate. 

The news came as Joby successfully completed a landmark flight test in the UAE on Nov. 9. Joby landed its aircraft at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) following a 17-minute piloted flight from its test facility in Margham, underscoring Joby’s commercial market readiness and ability to operate in shared airspace.

Alongside the vertiport at Dubai International Airport, which is set to be completed in Q1 2026, these sites will make up the initial vertiport network for Joby’s air taxi service in Dubai, which is set to launch in 2026.