Joby Aviation has successfully completed the second stage of its certification process with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  

The California-based eVTOL manufacturer said in a statement released on February 9, 2023 that this step is part of a five-stage process necessary to certify its eVTOL aircraft for commercial operations. 

What does this mean in practice? At this second stage, Joby shows ‘Means of Compliance’, meaning that it has identified what is required to demonstrate that it meets the regulatory intent of the safety rules.  

Joby is the first eVTOL company to complete the second stage of certification in the US and its testing campaign will now continue. Some of the documentation required for the third phase of this process was submitted to the FAA back in November 2022, and the company is already working towards stages four and five. 

Joby Aviation also shared details of the FAA’s Acting Administrator, Billy Nolen’s recent visit to the company’s facilities in Marina, California where, alongside accompanying FAA staff, he witnessed some of the regular tests being conducted by Joby’s prototype eVTOL aircraft. 

Joby Aviation reiterated its confidence in sticking to 2025 as the expected date of launch for its commercial services, the statement added.