Flying Magazine reports, “Uber as soon as this year will add a quiet, all-electric, aerial complement to its ground-based ride-hailing platform. Uber and Joby Aviation on Thursday unveiled ‘Uber Air’—a new, on-demand service using Joby’s four-passenger, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. Joby said it expects to carry its first passengers later this year in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where the partners shared a first look at Uber Air during a product and flight demonstration.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Tag: Advanced Air Mobility
New Legislation Aims to Expedite FAA Type Certification for eVTOLs
Flying Magazine reports, “A bipartisan bill introduced Friday in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives would require the FAA to ‘streamline’ its type certification process for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis and other advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft. That could include the use of standards agreed upon by the developers themselves to prove the aircraft are fit to carry passengers.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Video
Wisk Aero’s Generation 6 aircraft
Wisk Aero | YouTube
Electric Air Taxis Inch Closer to City Skies After Landmark FAA Move
Flying Magazine reports, “The FAA in October 2024 published a special federal aviation regulation (SFAR) with seismic implications for the aviation industry—a framework for the early integration of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. As 2026 begins, these new entrants, capable of both vertical lift and wingborne flight, may be months or even weeks away from flying in a city near you.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Archer Partners with NVIDIA for AI-assisted Operations
Aerotime reports, “Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) developer Archer Aviation has selected the NVIDIA IGX Thor platform to support its future operations. This advanced software platform uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help pilots and operators assess the operational circumstances and take the right decisions in safety-critical environments. NVIDIA’s IGX Thor is the most powerful safety-capable AI computing module currently offered by the technology giant.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Joby Aviation Predicts Its Passenger Air Taxi Service Will Take Off in 2026
Flying Magazine reports, “Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation believes 2026 will be the year its air taxi begins flying passengers. As the new year approaches, Joby on Monday shared a recap of its 2025 flight test milestones, reiterating its plans for the launch of passenger service in the coming months. The company intends to integrate its flagship S4 on the Blade Air Mobility and Uber platforms to offer 10-20-minute flights between U.S. city centers and airports. It is partnered with Delta Air Lines, with plans for service in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Vertical Aerospace CEO Says New Valo eVTOL to Become ‘People’s Air Taxi’
Flying Magazine reports, “U.K. developer Vertical Aerospace this week unveiled its flagship electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Valo, which, according to CEO Stuart Simpson, will be the ‘people’s air taxi.’ A chief criticism of eVTOL aircraft is their anticipated cost, leading many to characterize electric air taxis as a service for the wealthy. But Simpson said that won’t be the case for Vertical’s flagship model.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
U.S. Advocates for Advanced Air Mobility Call for Increased Regulatory Clarity
Aviation International News reports, “As eVTOL developers edge closer to operational approval, U.S. lawmakers and stakeholders alike stress the need for regulatory clarity and consistency and close collaboration between Congress, the FAA, the industry, and the states to ensure a safe transition for advanced air mobility (AAM).”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Archer Partners with Two Saudi Companies to Develop and Test Air Taxi Services
Reuters reports, “Archer Aviation said on Wednesday it has signed a deal with The Helicopter Company and luxury developer Red Sea Global, both owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, to develop, test and potentially deploy electric aircraft in the Kingdom. Western air taxi makers have been stepping up efforts to expand beyond their home markets, with the Middle East emerging as a key target thanks to its fast-growing tourism sector, supportive regulators and willingness to invest early in next-generation transport technologies.”
Full Story (Reuters)
New Avionics Tech Enabling Rapid Emergence of Advanced Air Mobility
Avionics International reports, “Once a speculative concept reserved for futurists, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is now rapidly emerging as a practical reality, thanks largely to revolutionary developments in avionics. From electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to highly automated flight control systems, avionics is the nerve center of this next-generation ecosystem, orchestrating the delicate balance of safety, autonomy, and sustainability. AAM seeks to redefine how people and goods move across urban and regional landscapes. Instead of being confined to traditional runways or existing air corridors, new aircraft designs such as eVTOLs are built to operate flexibly within dense environments.”
Full Story (Avionics International)
AIAA Releases Report Advocating for Certification of Advanced Air Mobility Vehicles
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2025 – Reston, Va. – With novel aircraft poised to usher in a global revolution in aerial operations and travel, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has released recommendations addressing regulatory and other hurdles that could hinder the certification and integration of novel aircraft in the National Airspace System (NAS).
The report, “Challenges to the Commercialization of Advanced Air Mobility,” is written by the AIAA Certification Task Force composed of technical aviation experts with public and private sector experience. The report is available for download here.
“The aerospace industry is on the cusp of an exciting new era of flight,” says AIAA CEO Clay Mowry. “New aerial vehicle technologies coming online today will enable capabilities we are only just imagining. We urge our lawmakers to work together to prioritize regulations and investments that ensure U.S. leadership in aviation innovation.”
The report notes that despite successes in meeting many technological challenges, regulatory and legal hurdles remain. Navigation, type and production certification, and urban traffic management present significant barriers in advanced air mobility becoming a commercial reality. Recommendations include:
- Establishing a standing working group of government and stakeholder organizations to create a unified national plan for employing advanced air mobility vehicles, driving new standards to ensure safety and support innovation.
- Revisiting current laws and regulations with an eye toward “future proofing,” or ensuring all laws are applicable to both legacy and emerging aircraft systems.
- Creating a workforce development plan that sets a foundation of awareness about infrastructure, certification requirements, and NAS management for AAM vehicle startups as well as other professionals and decision makers involved in the development of regulations and operations involving novel aircraft in the National Airspace.
Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.