Joby Aviation lands a $55 million contract from U.S. Air Force. On Tuesday, Joby Aviation (JOBY.N) announced a $55 million contract renewal to deliver up to nine air taxis to the U.S. Air Force.
Joby will deploy the first two aircraft to Edwards Air Force Base in California by March 2024 for field exercises to enable the Air Force to decide whether to use eVTOL aircraft.
Joby Executive Chairman Paul Sciarra said the deal lets the California business test its pilot training, maintenance, and charging infrastructure before commercial operations begin in 2025.
“It lets us trial run lots of the things we’re going to have to do for broader commercial service, but at a small scale and earlier than we might otherwise,” he told Reuters.
The Air Force is considering eVTOL aircraft to perform air logistics jobs like helicopters at a cheaper cost and without fuel stockpiling.
Lt. Col. John Tekell, who leads the Air Force’s Agility Prime eVTOL development effort, said the service would evaluate the Joby aircraft at Edwards for missions like transporting personnel and cargo, extracting wounded troops, and securing nuclear missile fields.
Joby operates an air taxi like a ridesharing app instead of selling aircraft to airlines and logistical firms like other eVTOL manufacturers.
Joby will instruct military pilots to operate air taxis under the Air Force contract.
The business claimed four Air Force pilots controlled Joby’s eVTOL aircraft remotely from the ground earlier this month after classroom and simulator training at Joby’s production site in Marina, California.
In November, Joby received airworthiness requirements from the FAA to fly its Model JAS4-1 in U.S. airspace.
Joby received the Air Force’s first uncrewed electric aircraft airworthiness clearance in 2020. Joby’s Air Force contracts total $131 million after this award.
Comment Template