Joby’s Tampa Bay Flight Opens a Florida Air-Taxi Test Campaign
The piloted demonstration connects St. Petersburg and Tampa as Florida tests how electric vertical-lift aircraft could fit into existing airports.
Published October 31, 2026Briefs / Transportation / Urban Air Mobility
Joby brought its electric air taxi to Tampa Bay on October 30, opening a week-long Florida demonstration campaign with a route from Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg to Tampa International Airport. The flights form part of the federal eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, with additional demonstrations planned at Orlando International Airport and Kennedy Space Center. [1, 2]
The useful development is operational: a piloted electric vertical-lift aircraft is being introduced to real airport environments, where procedures, landing sites and coordination with other traffic all have to work together. Joby says the campaign will gather information on airport integration, acoustics and vertiport procedures as it continues through type certification. [1]
For a traveler, the eventual measure will be the complete journey, including getting to the landing site, boarding and ground connections. This demonstration supplies an early operational milestone. Verified flight duration, ticket pricing and routine passenger-service performance remain open questions.
Sources
1. Joby Florida campaign announcement
2. U.S. DOT confirmation of Florida demonstration flights, October 30