Joby Aviation’s S4 2.0 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is making its first appearance at this year’s VERTICON. The 4,800-lb. aircraft can carry one pilot and four passengers and has more than a 100-mile range and a 200-mph top speed.

Joby recently reported that it was well into the fourth stage of a five-stage FAA certification process and said it expects to begin type inspection authorization (TIA) flights within the next 12 months. Five aircraft are currently in flight testing, including a hydrogen–hybrid aircraft. Two of the aircraft are based at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) as part of the company’s work with the US Department of Defense (DoD), a contract valued at $131 million. Two more aircraft will be delivered to the DoD this year to MacDill AFB, part of a commitment to deliver nine aircraft to the US Air Force. The company also plans to deliver an aircraft to Dubai in mid-2025 to begin passenger service there late this year or early next.

The S4 2.0 features fly-by-wire controls; a redundant, electrically distributed propulsion system that feeds six articulating proprotors (two electric motors per rotor)—four proprotors mounted on the forward wing and two on the aft v-tail; and a battery-cooling and -charging system that can charge the aircraft in less than eight minutes.
Late last year, Joby announced that it had received an additional $1 billion of funding and commitments and currently has an enterprise value of $4.7 billion.