A Joby electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft outside the New York Stock Exchange, Aug. 11, 2021. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

Joby Aviation Founder JoeBen Bevirt talks about how to make sky taxis as cheap as those on the street and why their machines are so quiet.

Joby Aviation Inc. is locking up leases on rooftops where its mosquito-looking machines will land as early as 2024. The commute as envisioned by The Jetsons is finally nigh, though the rigs coming from Joby and its rivals are decidedly un-carlike. Able to take off and land vertically, they’re a lot like helicopters — only safer, cheaper and far quieter thanks to a cluster of small electric rotors on a fixed wing, allowing the the craft to fly (and glide) horizontally. If one of the fans conks out, the remainder can mitigate a disaster.

The flying taxi industy is crowded, with several companies testing machines that approximate giant, people-carrying drones, including manufacturing giants like Hyundai Motor Co. and startups like Lilium GmbH. Joby has been at it for 12 years. Over that time, it has landed about $820 million in venture funding. In August, the company went public via a SPAC backed by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. The pitch to both passengers and prospective investors: save 1 billion people an hour a day.

To read the interview with Joby Aviation Founder JoeBen Bevirt continue reading on the Bloomberg website.