The first passenger-carrying flights for two U.S.-based air taxi developers, Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation, are likely to be in the Middle East later this year, the companies said on earnings calls this week. Joby plans to launch in Dubai while Archer signed Abu Dhabi Aviation as its first launch partner.
Neither aircraft manufacturer has completed the final phase of the Federal Aviation Administration’s type certification process, which is the approval of the aircraft’s design and components. According to Archer Aviation Founder and CEO Adam Goldstein, the FAA’s concerns center around how the industry deals with emergency landing for these kinds of aircraft.
However, Goldstein sees promise in the Trump administration’s support for air taxi development. “I'm confident that the new administration is going to help us speed up things to ensure that we drive results,” he said on the company’s Feb. 27 investor call. He added that “the Secretary of Transportation has been very supportive and is working with us closely to try to figure out how to continue to advance the certification process.”
Goldstein said that Archer continues to work with its U.S. partners, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines, to plan initial operations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and New York City. Those efforts include route planning, recruiting and training pilots, and integrating Archer's aerial ride-sharing software into the airlines’ reservation software, he said.
Joby is also making progress to bring its commercial air taxi service to U.S. cities. “Over the last quarter, we've worked closely with Delta [Air Lines] and Uber to showcase our product, and we continue to make important inroads across key U.S. markets such as New York and L.A.,” Joby Aviation Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said on the company’s Feb. 26 earnings call.
While the first air taxis these two companies are developing are battery-electric powered, both Archer and Joby also are developing other power propulsion technologies. Bevirt said on the call that they flew a hydrogen-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for 561 miles in July. Battery-powered air taxis are limited to a much shorter range, typically about 100 miles.
Archer’s Goldstein said the company is also developing a hybrid propulsion aircraft in a partnership with Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, for military defense use. But these longer-range VTOL aircraft may also have civilian uses, he said.
