Joby Begins Power-On Testing of 1st Conforming Aircraft, Enters Final Stage of Type Certification Process

Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, today announced that it has begun power-on testing of the first of several FAA-conforming aircraft to be built for Type Inspection Authorization (TIA). With this milestone, Joby can now begin conducting thousands of hardware and software integration tests in preparation for “for credit” flight testing with FAA test pilots operating the aircraft. TIA testing is part of the final stage of the FAA Type Certification process and today’s achievement marks a critical milestone on Joby’s path to commercialization.

“Beginning this aircraft subsystem testing is the culmination of more than a decade of focused engineering and certification refinements,” said Didier Papadopoulos, President of Aircraft OEM at Joby. “This is the moment where our intended type design, our manufacturing process, and our certification strategy converge into one physical asset. It validates that we can design a safe aircraft and produce it reliably. This first testing step is one of the most important milestones in Joby’s history to date and puts us closer than ever to achieving FAA certification.”

Joby’s first TIA-ready aircraft has been manufactured using Joby’s established quality management system and adheres precisely to the intended type design for TIA testing. Each of Joby’s TIA aircraft will be built with FAA-conforming components as required by Joby’s FAA-approved test plans, with these components built to FAA Designated Engineering Representative-approved designs and inspected and signed off by FAA Designated Airworthiness Representatives.

Power-on testing is the first step in preparing Joby’s TIA aircraft for “for credit” flight testing, with flight testing by Joby pilots expected to start later this year, ahead of FAA pilots taking the controls in 2026. During TIA testing, Joby will be working side-by-side with the FAA to ensure the aircraft meets all safety and performance requirements. The testing includes:

• Performance Validation: FAA pilots and Joby test pilots will validate the aircraft’s performance envelope, including range, speed and energy management under real-world conditions.
• Control and Handling: Pilots will test the flight controls and handling qualities across all regimes of flight, from vertical takeoff and landing through wingborne cruise and back to hover. 
• Maintenance and Operations: The TIA phase validates the operational procedures that will govern Joby’s commercial service, including inspecting maintenance manuals, pilot training curriculum, and verifying the functionality and reliability of all onboard systems, such as avionics, propulsion and redundancies. 

The data collected during these TIA tests will be used by the FAA to make its final determination on issuing a Type Certification for Joby’s aircraft, the approval needed to operate the aircraft commercially.