Joby Aviation announced on 11 March 2026 that its first aircraft built to conform with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements had completed initial flight testing at the company’s facility in Marina, California. The milestone marks Joby’s formal entry into the final stage of FAA type certification.

The aircraft will first be flown by Joby’s test pilots to validate systems and performance before FAA pilots begin “for-credit” flight testing later this year. These evaluation flights form part of the agency’s formal certification process and are considered the final and most rigorous step before an aircraft can be approved for commercial service in the United States.

What the milestone means

The FAA type certification process for eVTOL aircraft consists of five stages. Joby has now entered Stage 5, the final phase, having previously become the first eVTOL developer to complete Stage 3, in which all certification plans covering the aircraft’s structural, mechanical, and electrical systems were reviewed and accepted by the FAA.

Unlike Joby’s earlier prototype aircraft, which were not built to FAA-approved designs, the N547JX meets the exact specifications outlined in the company’s FAA-approved test plans, making it the first vehicle the regulator can formally evaluate for commercial airworthiness.

The first eVTOL type certificate in the U.S. is unlikely before 2027, David Ison, director of research at Air Mobility Research Group and Aviation Planner, told Reuters, with some suggesting the timeline could stretch further. Joby’s TIA flight testing, expected to begin later this year, will be among the final data points the FAA needs.

“Seeing this aircraft fly means everything to our team. It’s the validation of years of hard work and marks our entry into the final phase of bringing this aircraft to market,” said Didier Papadopoulos, President of Aircraft OEM at Joby.

Momentum on the regulatory front

The timing of the announcement also coincides with broader momentum in the advanced air mobility sector. Just days earlier, the U.S. government cleared the way for Joby and several other eVTOL developers to begin early operations across the country through the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), which aims to build the operational data and infrastructure frameworks needed for commercial air taxi service. (Read more about it here)

Joby said in its announcement that the eIPP has the potential to significantly accelerate its path to commercial service. Under that programme, Joby has been authorised to fly in Arizona, Florida, Idaho, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. Joby has separately announced plans for early commercial service in Dubai, though a timeline for U.S. operations remains tied to the outcome of the certification process.