Joby Aviation, Inc. reached a historic milestone in electric aviation by successfully completing the first piloted flight of an eVTOL air taxi between two public airports in the United States, connecting Marina (OAR) and Monterey (MRY), California, on August 15.
The achievement marks a crucial step in the company’s preparation for the commercial market, validating the integration of its aircraft into FAA-controlled airspace and highlighting advancements in safety, operations, air traffic control, and certification.
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Flight details
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The journey lasted approximately 12 minutes over 10 nautical miles, including a five-minute holding pattern at Monterey for air traffic spacing. The flight demonstrated the aircraft’s full transition:
Vertical takeoff from Marina;
Conversion to wing-borne cruise flight;
Integration into MRY’s controlled airspace, sequencing with other aircraft;
Vertical landing in Monterey.
This was the first time a piloted eVTOL had completed a crossing between public airports, reinforcing Joby’s ability to operate in complex environments and replicate real service conditions.
Company statement
“Successfully flying from Marina to Monterey showcased our operations integrated into the broader transportation network and further validated the aircraft’s performance to ensure we are ready for service on day one,” said Didier Papadopoulos, President of Aircraft OEM at Joby.
He emphasized that earlier tests had already proven the eVTOL’s capabilities under different environmental conditions and that this step represents the natural evolution of the test program.
Progress toward certification and market entry
The flight provided valuable data on human factors in operations at controlled airports, while also proving that the aircraft can follow the same air traffic protocols used by major airlines.
This achievement adds to over 40,000 miles of test flights already completed by Joby’s fleet and comes amid the final assembly of the first aircraft intended for FAA Type Inspection Authorization test flights, one of the last steps toward certification.
The company plans to begin flight tests with FAA pilots in early 2026 and, after certification, to launch commercial services in Los Angeles and New York. The recently announced acquisition of Blade Air Mobility’s passenger business also strengthens Joby’s readiness for market debut.
Source and images: Joby Aviation
