Air taxis in LA? Aviation startup wants to bring rideshare aircraft to SoCal, reduce gridlock

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Santa Cruz-based aviation company is hoping to shake up the taxi and rideshare industry by skipping crowded roads and instead flying customers overhead.

Joby Aviation showed off one of its electric air taxis at The Grove L.A. this week. The four-passenger, one pilot aircraft is designed to travel 100 miles at up to 200 miles per hour on just one charge and revolutionize how people travel in major cities.

"It can take off like a helicopter, fly on a wing and then land vertically exactly where you need to go," said Edward Stilson, a special projects manager for Joby. "You just go to one of the VertiPorts, hop in the plane and then fly over the traffic. So here in L.A. is really the perfect market for it."

Because the aircraft is electric, it creates no pollution while in service and requires less maintenance, bringing its operational costs down substantially. Stilson said these costs savings will be passed along to customers, with the company's goal to eventually have prices comparable to ground transportation like Uber or Lyft.

Joby is hoping to start operating commercially by the end of 2025, but that most likely would be in Dubai. Stilson says its U.S. operations rely on getting certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, which requires a five-phase process. The company is currently moving through the fourth phase.

Joby hopes to have the air taxi service up and running in Los Angeles in time for the 2028 Olympic Games.