Joby Aviation completes flight test programme in Korea’s K-UAM Grand Challenge
US-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer, Joby Aviation (Joby), has recently achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first company to conduct eVTOL demonstration flights in Korea under the K-UAM Grand Challenge.
The initiative, launched in 2023 by Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), aims to facilitate the commercialisation of air taxi services in the country.
The company conducted a series of flight tests at Goheung Aviation Test Center in South Jeolla Province.
Over the week, it demonstrated various flight profiles, including full wing-borne flight, showcasing the capabilities of its electric air taxi.
JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby, highlighted the importance of this milestone, stating, “Completing our first flights in Korea marks a significant milestone towards launching operations in the Korean market, where our service has incredible potential to save people time and improve connectivity in densely populated cities like Seoul and more remote areas like Jeju Province, where natural barriers complicate ground transportation.”
Consortium collaboration
Furthermore, Joby’s participation in the K-UAM Grand Challenge is part of a broader initiative known as the “K-UAM Dream Team,” a consortium that includes major players like SK Telecom, Hanwha Systems, TMAP, and the Korea Airport Corporation.
The consortium leverages advanced technology in flight control, traffic management, and vertiport operations to accelerate the integration of air taxis into Korea’s transportation network.
Hyung Pil Jun, Assistant Minister of the Mobility and Motor Vehicles Bureau for the Korean government, remarked, “Through the Grand Challange, Joby Aviation, along with the K-UAM Dream Team including SKT, is showcasing the next generation of world-leading aviation capabilities by combining their world-class eVTOL aircraft with the Korean industry’s technology on flight control, traffic management, and vertiport operations.”
In addition to its advancements in Korea, Joby is making strides towards the certification of its electric air taxi with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The company recently unveiled its fourth production prototype from its manufacturing facility in Marina, California.
Korea is now the third country, following the US and Japan, where Joby has received an airworthiness certificate for demonstration and flight testing.
Moreover, at the inaugural Advanced Air Mobility Symposium, organised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal in September, the company presented a letter of intent (LoI) to the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to initiate the process for its air operator certification in the country.