Uber and Joby Partner To Launch Urban Air-taxi Service in 2023
by Charles Alcock
– December 20, 2019, 12:05 PM
Rideshare group Uber and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation today announced a partnership to launch urban air-taxi services in selected locations from 2023. California-based Joby Aviation has become the first of seven partner companies in Uber’s Elevate urban air mobility initiative to commit to a timetable for launching operations. The other companies are Bell, Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, Embraer, Pipistrel, Karem Aircraft, and Jaunt Air Mobility.
Joby is developing a four-seat eVTOL aircraft called the S4 and appears to have plans for a larger S5 model. However, the secretive company has provided no details on the proposed timeline for getting the aircraft certified and ready for commercial service. In January 2019, it said that it had already flown a full-scale S4 demonstrator model.
Also unclear from the joint announcement by Joby and Uber is who will be operating the aircraft or where services will begin. Uber has been conducting trials and technology development work in various prospective early adopter locations, including…