Electric Air Taxis (eVTOL)
EHang's pilotless EH216-S has held a Chinese type certificate since 2023; Joby is in the last stage of FAA certification, Archer further back.
Open in the interactive tree →eVTOLs are electric vertical-takeoff aircraft for one to four passengers, meant for short urban hops. Hurdles are battery range, certification, noise, landing sites and economics.
As of October 2026
China's aviation authority CAAC granted EHang the first eVTOL type certificate in October 2023, and its pilotless EH216-S has flown passengers in China since. Joby says it is in the fifth and final stage of FAA type certification (Q2 2026 results, 5 August) and began eIPP pilot-programme flights in Texas on 10 September 2026, with first passengers targeted for 2026. Analysts saw the FAA type certificate in mid-2027 at the earliest (Joby) and 2028 or later (Archer) as of February 2026, and none of the US makers has one yet.
Open steps
- Battery power, life and reserves Medium AI leverageDeliver takeoff power over thousands of cycles with the safety reserve regulators require, without thermal-runaway risk.
- Finish type-certification flight testing Low AI leverageComplete the FAA stage 4 and 5 test programme and data review for Joby and Archer.
- Low-noise rotor and flight-path design Medium AI leverageDesign rotors and approach paths whose noise is acceptable in cities, and verify it with measurement campaigns.
- Assurance for pilotless flight Medium AI leverageCreate assurance methods for learned detect-and-avoid software and traffic management for many low-altitude aircraft; regulators treat learned software cautiously.
Where AI could help
Low AI leverage. Certification, battery energy density and vertiports decide launch dates; AI helps simulation, noise and flight-control design at the margins.
- Cut simulation time for rotor aerodynamics and flight dynamics with learned surrogates
- Optimise climb and approach paths for low noise and energy
- Analyse flight-test data to build certification evidence faster
- Plan routes and schedules for vertiport networks
Prerequisites
- Airplane1903
- Helicopter1936-1942eVTOL aircraft follow the rotor-lift concept proved by helicopters
- Carbon-Fibre Composites1963Electric air taxis rely on light composite airframes
- Lithium-Ion Battery1991
- Mass-Produced Electric Car2008–2012
Unlocks
Sources
More in Transport & Mobility · Present
- Drone Delivery at Scale2016-2026
- AI Forecasting & Supply Twins2020-2026
- EV Mass Market2020–2026
- Robotaxis in Daily Service2020–2026
- Supersonic Comeback2025