Test A: Joby Down Under

(In this quasi A B Test, tell us which article your prefer: A or B. But don’t take us too seriously).

Crikey! Joby Dundee has some ripper news for you today, mates! This arvo, Joby Aviation, the top-notch pioneers of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, announced a bonza move Down Under, filing an application with Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to validate their FAA type certification. That’s right, Mates, these innovative flying machines are one step closer to gracing the flying foxes skies!

On August 6, Joby announced the start of this exciting process, based on CASA’s bilateral agreement with the U.S. regulator. Australia is now the fourth country where Joby is seeking certification, joining the UK and Japan. This is a bloody gigantic leap towards bringing their four-passenger eVTOL aircraft into commercial service by 2025.

But wait, there’s more! As Joby edges closer to this monumental milestone, they’re ramping up the rollout of their ElevateOS software. This beauty will support every aspect of their planned air taxi operations, including a customer-facing app for booking flights. The technology behind ElevateOS was acquired from Uber’s "Uber Elevate" air taxi business back in 2021. Talk about a top-notch servos!

Several companies are already laying the groundwork for advanced air mobility operations in cities like Melbourne and Brisbane. Local legends like Skyportz and their UK-based rival Skyports Infrastructure are leading the charge. Even Boeing subsidiary Wisk Aero is focusing some of its development efforts right here in our own backyard.

It’s a thrilling time to be a part of this aerial revolution, and we couldn’t be more stoked to see Joby Aviation soar to new heights in Australia. So, buckle up your banana hammock, mates, because the future of air travel is looking brighter than ever!

Notes: many thanks to our Aussie friend of the newsletter Lisa Holden