Joby Aviation launches eVTOL flight campaign across Dallas-Fort Worth under FAA eIPP program
Why It MattersRegional flight-test campaigns under federal pilot programs are becoming a key mechanism for generating the operational data regulators need before approving commercial electric air taxi service at scale.
Joby Aviation is running a week-long eVTOL flight campaign across the Dallas-Fort Worth region under the U.S. Department of Transportation's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, announced in March 2026. Conducted under the Texas Department of Transportation's Project Nexus proposal, the flights connect Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW), urban locations, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, generating operational data the FAA needs to develop safety rules for commercial air taxi service.
A 2023 joint simulation by Joby and NASA at the Future Flight Central facility examined running up to 50 electric air taxi operations per hour in the DFW terminal area. To support the campaign and future regional operations, Joby leased a 45,000-square-foot facility at Perot Field within the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone, following earlier demonstrations in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City held earlier in 2026.
The Dallas-Fort Worth flights are part of Joby's 2026 Electric Skies Tour marking the United States' 250th anniversary. Separately, J208, a Cessna 208B Caravan fitted with Joby's autonomous flight technology, began coast-to-coast demonstrations on September 8 from Concord, California, under the Joby Autonomy program, with a stop at AFW scheduled for September 10. Joby is currently in the fifth and final stage of FAA type certification, testing conforming aircraft for Type Inspection Authorization.
Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said he was excited by the potential for vertical lift in Texas, citing the state's infrastructure, expertise, and partnerships. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency is using data from test flights in Texas and elsewhere to ensure the new aircraft integrate safely into the airspace, while U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy called the campaign a critical step in reshaping how people and products move.
