Tech Joby and ANA to launch air taxi service

[thomas]

Joby Aviation, a Californian venture-backed aerospace company, developing an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and ANA announced their intention to launch aerial ridesharing services to Japan. Toyota Motor Corporation will be partnering with the two companies, as well, in order to explore ways to connect the air taxis to ground-based transportation. Joby plans to offer similar services in South Korea.

The companies were unable to provide specifics on the service, such as when they would begin piloting Joby's aircraft, when they expect to bring a commercial service to Japan and whether ANA or Joby would be operating it or how customers would interact with it. Those details will be coming "in due course," according to a Joby spokesperson, who noted that Joby, ANA and Toyota are now in the planning phase as they consider moves like developing infrastructure, pilot training, flight operations, regulatory requirements, public acceptance and how to connect aerial transportation to the larger transit ecosystem. Toyota represents not only a partner in this future service, but also one of Joby's strategic investors. The auto giant led Joby's $590 million Series C round in 2020 and has shared expertise with the startup on electrification technology, as well as manufacturing, quality and cost controls, according to a Joby spokesperson.

Joby Aviation partners with Japanese airline to launch air taxi service | TechCrunch

Joby Aviation is partnering with Japanese airline ANA to bring aerial ridesharing services to Japan. Toyota Motor Corporation will be partnering with the

techcrunch.com

 

[Lothor]

I was wondering about the environmental impact of these air taxis - planes use an enormous amount of fuel to get up to their cruising height. It turns out that for longer distances, they have a similar or lower environmental impact to cars, and may be beneficial for journeys such as Haneda airport to Tateyama (Chiba prefecture) that are not particularly convenient by road.

 

[salyavin]

wow that was news to me too.

Flying cars will only be eco-friendly if we use them right | Asahi Kasei AUTOMOTIVE

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