Saudi Regulator To Accept FAA Approval for Joby’s eVTOL

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has agreed to accept the FAA’s certification standards for Joby’s eVTOL aircraft. According to the U.S. manufacturer, the memorandum of understanding signed by the local regulator on November 12 will result in “a streamlined approval process” for launching air taxi services in the country.

GACA’s decision is expected to facilitate Joby’s existing partnership with Saudi company Abdul Latif Jameel, which has expressed interest in buying up to 200 of the four-passenger eVTOL vehicle. Under a deal announced in June, the family-owned group, which was an early investor in Joby, would become the manufacturer’s local distributor.

Under the memorandum, GACA and Joby have agreed on three initiatives to support the development of a regulatory framework for eVTOL air taxis in Saudi Arabia. They will share technical expertise covering design, production, and operations, as well as collaborating on airworthiness standards and regulations for the initial phase of operations, including pilot licensing, airspace integration, and maintenance.

Beyond the U.S., Joby is also working with the aviation regulator in the neighboring UAE, as well as with officials in the UK, Japan, and South Korea. It is involved in partnerships aimed at starting initial eVTOL operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 2026, and has stated that these early use cases will likely precede the launch of services in the U.S. market.

First Hybrid Autonomous Flight

This week, Joby also announced that it recently achieved a first flight with a hybrid-electric, uncrewed version of its aircraft. The flight in California happened on November 7, three months after the company announced the program through a partnership with L3Harris. The companies aim to conduct trials for possible government missions in 2026.

While the autonomous VTOL aircraft uses Joby’s SuperPilot flight control system, L3Harris will add elements including sensors, effectors, and communications equipment. The autonomous flight system draws on technology developed by Xwing, which Joby acquired in June 2024.

The powertrain combines a gas turbine developed by Joby with the electric propulsion system used for its S4 eVTOL aircraft. Joby has not indicated what sort of range and payload the new vehicle might have, but last year, a demonstration flight in a “hybridized” version of the S4 logged 488 nm.

“We have worked closely with the [U.S.] Department of Defense over the past decade to give them a front-row seat to the development of our dual-purpose technologies, and we’re now ready to demonstrate and deploy it,” said Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt. “Our country depends on companies like ours moving at pace, and we have the team, the technology, and the platform to do just that.”