[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":300},["ShallowReactive",2],{"en-post-joby-archer-2027-air-taxi-passenger-flights":3,"en-related-joby-archer-2027-air-taxi-passenger-flights":264},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"category":244,"date":245,"description":246,"draft":247,"extension":248,"image":249,"meta":250,"navigation":251,"path":252,"seo":253,"slug":254,"stem":255,"tags":256,"translation_slug":236,"updated":262,"__hash__":263},"en_posts\u002Fen\u002Fposts\u002Fjoby-archer-2027-air-taxi-passenger-flights.md","Joby and Archer Push Air Taxi Passenger Flights to 2027","Lucas Buzzo",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":235},"minimark",[10,22,25,30,43,55,57,61,70,98,100,104,107,110,178,180,184,187,200,202,206,209,212,214,218,220],[11,12,13,14,21],"p",{},"Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation now both point to 2027 for the first commercial air taxi passenger flights in the United States, according to their third-quarter 2026 earnings reports and ",[15,16,20],"a",{"href":17,"rel":18},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ainonline.com\u002Faviation-news\u002Ffutureflight\u002F2026-11-10\u002Fjoby-and-archer-push-evtol-passenger-flights-2027",[19],"nofollow","AIN's analysis",". Both companies had once targeted 2025. Joby is in the fifth and final stage of FAA type certification; Archer has yet to complete its first piloted transition flight.",[23,24],"hr",{},[26,27,29],"h2",{"id":28},"background","Background",[11,31,32,33,37,38,42],{},"An ",[34,35,36],"strong",{},"eVTOL"," (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) is a battery-powered aircraft that lifts off like a helicopter and cruises like an airplane. Joby and Archer are the two best-funded U.S. developers, and both want to launch urban air taxi service. For a primer, see our ",[15,39,41],{"href":40},"\u002Fevtol-air-taxis-guide\u002F","eVTOL air taxis guide",".",[11,44,45,46,49,50,54],{},"Both fly under the FAA's ",[34,47,48],{},"eIPP"," (eVTOL Integration Pilot Program), which lets companies run early operations before full certification. Earlier this year we covered ",[15,51,53],{"href":52},"\u002Fevtol-air-taxi-test-flights-2026\u002F","test flights across four US states",". Paying passengers, however, depend on certification progress.",[23,56],{},[26,58,60],{"id":59},"where-does-joby-stand","Where Does Joby Stand?",[11,62,63,64,69],{},"Joby says it completed a wide range of \"for credit\" testing in stage five of five of FAA type certification, ",[15,65,68],{"href":66,"rel":67},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.jobyaviation.com\u002Fnews\u002Fjoby-reports-third-quarter-2026-financial-results",[19],"according to its Q3 report"," released November 4, 2026.",[71,72,73,80,86,92],"ul",{},[74,75,76,79],"li",{},[34,77,78],{},"Revenue:"," $55 million in Q3, mostly from Blade, with the full-year 2026 outlook raised 15% to $135–140 million.",[74,81,82,85],{},[34,83,84],{},"Cash:"," $2.2 billion as of September 30, 2026.",[74,87,88,91],{},[34,89,90],{},"Production:"," 17 aircraft in production.",[74,93,94,97],{},[34,95,96],{},"Timeline:"," Joby's SEC filing still lists 2026 for first passengers, but its policy chief Greg Bowles said commercial eIPP flights will be tied to substantial FAA flight testing. AIN reports FAA pilot training on Joby aircraft is expected in the first half of 2027.",[23,99],{},[26,101,103],{"id":102},"where-does-archer-stand","Where Does Archer Stand?",[11,105,106],{},"Archer's Midnight aircraft has moved to Hawthorne Municipal Airport near Los Angeles, and the company says it is \"on track for the end of this year\" to complete its first piloted hover-to-wingborne transition, per AIN. Joby reached that milestone in April 2025.",[11,108,109],{},"After the transition, Midnight must log 50 flight-test hours before Archer can seek market survey approval for vertical flight. Archer reported a $274.6 million net loss on $5.1 million in revenue, with $1.35 billion in cash and nine Midnights under construction.",[111,112,113,132],"table",{},[114,115,116],"thead",{},[117,118,119,123,126,129],"tr",{},[120,121,122],"th",{},"Company",[120,124,125],{},"Q3 2026 revenue",[120,127,128],{},"Cash",[120,130,131],{},"Next milestone",[133,134,135,150,164],"tbody",{},[117,136,137,141,144,147],{},[138,139,140],"td",{},"Joby",[138,142,143],{},"$55.1 million",[138,145,146],{},"$2.2 billion",[138,148,149],{},"FAA type-certification flight tests",[117,151,152,155,158,161],{},[138,153,154],{},"Archer",[138,156,157],{},"$5.1 million",[138,159,160],{},"$1.35 billion",[138,162,163],{},"First piloted transition flight",[117,165,166,169,172,175],{},[138,167,168],{},"Beta Technologies",[138,170,171],{},"Not reported",[138,173,174],{},"$1.34 billion",[138,176,177],{},"Market survey certificate received in October",[23,179],{},[26,181,183],{"id":182},"what-does-the-2027-timeline-mean-for-the-industry","What Does the 2027 Timeline Mean for the Industry?",[11,185,186],{},"The delay shows that eVTOL certification is slower than early promises. Flight testing typically takes 6 to 18 months, according to AIN, and Eve now targets type certification in 2028.",[11,188,189,190,194,195,199],{},"Both firms are also diversifying. Joby is ",[15,191,193],{"href":192},"\u002Fjoby-resonant-sciences-defense-acquisition-2026\u002F","buying Resonant Sciences for $500 million",", and Archer is ",[15,196,198],{"href":197},"\u002Farcher-boeing-wisk-insitu-acquisition-2026\u002F","acquiring Wisk, Insitu and SkyGrid from Boeing",". Joby's U.S. Air Force commitment also rose to nearly $37 million.",[23,201],{},[26,203,205],{"id":204},"what-this-means-for-drone-pilots","What This Means for Drone Pilots",[11,207,208],{},"Air taxis will not change the rules for small drones under Part 107 soon, but they will share low-altitude airspace with them over time. Expect more vertiport planning, airspace integration work, and eventual changes to how UAS traffic is managed near urban airports.",[11,210,211],{},"Pilots should follow FAA airspace updates and check LAANC and local advisories as eIPP operations expand. Passenger service in 2027 is a target, not a guarantee.",[23,213],{},[215,216],"faq",{":items":217},"[{\"question\":\"When will Joby and Archer start flying passengers?\",\"answer\":\"Both companies now point to 2027 for early commercial passenger flights in the U.S. Joby's SEC filing still lists 2026, but its executives tie commercial flights to FAA type-certification flight testing, which is expected to begin in 2027.\"},{\"question\":\"What stage of FAA certification is Joby in?\",\"answer\":\"Joby is in the fifth and final stage of FAA type certification and has completed a wide range of for-credit testing, according to its Q3 2026 results. FAA pilots must still run type-certification flight tests, which typically take 6 to 18 months.\"},{\"question\":\"Has Archer completed its first transition flight?\",\"answer\":\"Not yet. Archer says it is on track to complete its first piloted hover-to-wingborne transition by the end of 2026. Afterward, Midnight needs 50 flight-test hours before Archer can seek market survey approval for vertical flight.\"}]",[23,219],{},[11,221,222],{},[223,224,225,226,230,231],"em",{},"Sources: ",[15,227,229],{"href":17,"rel":228},[19],"AIN"," | ",[15,232,234],{"href":66,"rel":233},[19],"Joby Aviation Q3 2026 results",{"title":236,"searchDepth":237,"depth":237,"links":238},"",2,[239,240,241,242,243],{"id":28,"depth":237,"text":29},{"id":59,"depth":237,"text":60},{"id":102,"depth":237,"text":103},{"id":182,"depth":237,"text":183},{"id":204,"depth":237,"text":205},"news","2026-11-15","Joby and Archer now target 2027 for first U.S. air taxi passengers. See the Q3 2026 numbers, FAA certification status, and what the delay means for eVTOL.",false,"md","\u002Fimages\u002Fjoby-archer-2027-air-taxi-passenger-flights.jpg",{},true,"\u002Fen\u002Fposts\u002Fjoby-archer-2027-air-taxi-passenger-flights",{"title":5,"description":246},"joby-archer-2027-air-taxi-passenger-flights","en\u002Fposts\u002Fjoby-archer-2027-air-taxi-passenger-flights",[257,258,259,260,261],"evtol","joby aviation","archer aviation","air taxi","faa certification",null,"KWemaOdNHwTAEpdvufhatgWEESKiZew_zjdInLvOpW8",[265,267,278,289],{"title":5,"description":246,"date":245,"category":244,"image":249,"slug":254,"tags":266,"author":6},[257,258,259,260,261],{"title":268,"description":269,"date":270,"category":244,"image":271,"slug":272,"tags":273,"author":6},"UFORCE Raises $700M at $6B Valuation: Drone Maker Round","UFORCE raised $700M at a $6B valuation, backed by Valor and the UK National Wealth Fund. Here is who invested, what it builds, and what it means for drones.","2026-11-14","\u002Fimages\u002Fukraine-magura-mv11-drone-mothership-2026.jpg","uforce-700-million-series-a-drone-maker-2026",[274,275,276,277],"UFORCE","drone funding","military drones","Ukraine",{"title":279,"description":280,"date":281,"category":244,"image":282,"slug":283,"tags":284,"author":6},"FAA Approves First Gulf BVLOS Drone Flight to Shell Rig","The FAA cleared Skyways' V2 drone for the first coast-to-Gulf BVLOS flight to a Shell platform. Here's what the Section 927 waiver means for operators.","2026-11-13","\u002Fimages\u002Ffaa-part-108-bvlos-rule-delayed-oira-2026.jpg","faa-skyways-gulf-bvlos-shell-platform-2026",[285,286,287,288],"faa","bvlos","drone-regulation","skyways",{"title":290,"description":291,"date":281,"category":244,"image":292,"slug":293,"tags":294,"author":6},"Ring Drone Cam: Amazon's $249.99 Indoor Security Drone","Amazon's Ring Drone Cam is a $249.99 indoor flying camera that patrols when sensors trip. Here's the price, ship date, FCC catch, and what pilots should know.","\u002Fimages\u002FDrone-Amazon.png","ring-drone-cam-amazon-indoor-security-drone-2026",[295,296,297,298,299],"ring drone cam","amazon ring","indoor drone","security drone","fcc",1794726387316]