The push to bring electric air taxis into everyday transportation is gaining another foothold in Texas, with Joby Aviation establishing a new 45,000-square-foot facility at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport.
The new site in Haslet, Texas, will give Joby a base for its planned operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and represents the company’s first significant presence in North Texas. More importantly, it arrives as Texas prepares to become one of the first large-scale real-world testing grounds for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
From aircraft testing to an actual transportation network
Joby’s aircraft is designed to take off and land vertically, eliminating the need for a conventional runway. The company is developing the all-electric aircraft for passenger transportation, with the longer-term goal of operating air taxi services in and around major cities.
The new Texas facility places Joby inside AllianceTexas, a large aviation and logistics development centered around Perot Field. According to the company and Hillwood, the site will support Joby’s preparations for flights under the federal eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP)…