Joby and Skyports Will Partner to Develop eVTOL Terminal

Joby Aviation and Skyports are collaborating to develop a passenger terminal with the aim of testing and identifying the best technologies and procedures that will one day facilitate how passengers commute and travel via eVTOLs.

Both companies are calling the vertiport a “Living Lab” which they hope will create a “zero-wait” check-in experience for passengers. The Living Lab will also play a key role in engaging regulators and government officials, as well as the public, to showcase the benefits and practicality of transportation via eVTOLs, according to Duncan Walker, Chief Executive Officer at Skyports Infrastructure.

“Our all-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft is set to revolutionize the way we travel in and around cities. Joby riders will skip the traffic, flying directly to their destination at over 200 mph,” said Eric Allison, Head of Product at Joby Aviation.

Joby is currently developing a four-passenger single-pilot eVTOL capable of flying up to 241 km on a single charge and hopes to commence services in 2024.

“But to realize the vision of everyday flight, we need to deliver a seamless and more rapid experience on the ground. The Living Lab will allow us to rethink the terminal experience, keeping our customers front and center throughout their entire journey,” he added.

The planned vertiport was unveiled ahead of an event that will be hosted Joby Aviation, where the company hopes to showcase the pilot production facility in which its first production prototype is being built, to its partners and investors.

The eVTOL developer plans on showcasing its Living Lab to investors and the public across locations in the U.S. over the next 18 months.