Joby Demonstrated its Air Taxi in Manhattan, but You Can’t Fly in It Yet

Under a clear blue sky, a new kind of electric aircraft flew from Kennedy International Airport into the heart of Manhattan this April. The trip took around 10 minutes, a fraction of the hour or more it could take in a car.

The flight offered a glimpse at how the aircraft, which is made by Joby Aviation and combines features of a helicopter and an airplane, and others like it could someday operate in cities. It was made possible by a federal program that is trying to hasten the arrival of what are often called air taxis.

The companies that make the new electric aircraft and some industry experts say air taxis will someday replace helicopters and maybe even cars for some uses. But some skeptical experts say the aircraft will be more expensive than helicopters and have relatively limited uses, noting that the industry has promised commercial flights for years but that no company has secured federal approval to routinely carry passengers or cargo in the United States.

“It’s not going to be like we look out our window and there’s flying cars everywhere,” said Laurie Garrow, an engineering professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology who focuses on aviation. “I think we are, in the next two to five years, looking at these aircraft entering into service and filling these niche markets to begin with.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/31/business/air-taxis-joby-helicopters.html