Joby Aviation Flies Electric Air Taxi From JFK to Manhattan as Archer Builds South Florida Vertiport Network
Why It MattersBoth eVTOL developers are positioning for early passenger service in high-congestion metros through airport vertiports and pilot-program access rather than waiting for full FAA certification to be completed.
A Joby Aviation electric aircraft lifted off from JFK on April 27, 2026, transitioned from vertical to forward flight and headed for Manhattan, flying the same route again over the following week from the West 30th Street Heliport on the Hudson. An earlier test flight over Jamaica Bay had been captured on air traffic control audio and later aired on the Today show. The aircraft has six tilting propellers, carries up to four passengers and a pilot, and is described as registering about 45 decibels at 1,000 feet, roughly 100 times quieter than a helicopter. In late 2025, Joby acquired Blade Air Mobility's passenger business. In February, Joby and Uber announced a partnership to let users book the eVTOL in the Uber app as Uber Air, with a Delta partnership providing an escort into the JFK terminal. The average New York commuter lost 102 hours to traffic in 2025, according to an estimate cited in the article.
Joby is in the fifth and final stage of FAA Type Certification and has begun flying its first FAA-conforming airframe. The White House's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, launched by executive order in early 2026, is designed to put real passengers on aircraft ahead of full certification. New York and New Jersey, working through the Port Authority, were named partners in March, and Joby is negotiating an Other Transaction Agreement that will govern its operations there. Once it is signed, limited passenger flights can begin.
In South Florida, Archer Aviation is planning a regional network linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, with vertiports planned at the region's three international airports. Hard Rock Stadium, which hosts seven 2026 World Cup matches, is to be electrified for Archer operations. Related Ross will build a vertiport inside the Apogee Golf Club in Hobe Sound, and Atlantic Aviation and Signature Aviation have signed on to electrify some existing assets. Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation in April authorizing state funds for vertiport development.
