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Editor's take: Celebrities often draw criticism for using private jets for short trips. Such aircraft have a disproportionate impact on the environment, emitting up to two tonnes of CO2 per hour. It's too early to know for sure, but opting for hydrogen air taxis instead of private jets could be a no-brainer once they hit the market.
A hydrogen-powered VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) flying taxi just went the distance – literally. Joby Aviation's sleek six-rotor aircraft, which resembles an oversized DJI drone with seating, completed a 523-mile journey across California on June 24. And the only thing it expelled was pure H2O.
This flight tripled the previous distance records set by Joby's electric prototypes. Despite that, the hydrogen tank still had 10 percent fuel remaining, indicating that the aircraft could have flown even farther if permitted.
More surprisingly, Joby's air taxi wasn't originally designed to carry hydrogen fuel. The model started as a purely battery-powered aircraft before the company gave it a hydrogen makeover.
Engineers essentially removed the batteries and added an 88-pound liquid hydrogen tank along with a fuel cell system. The fuel cells generate electricity from hydrogen and oxygen to spin the rotors, while water – the only by-product – harmlessly exits as vapor. A smaller battery pack is kept onboard for power boosts during takeoff and landing.
The original electric design had already accumulated an impressive 25,000 miles of testing over California and New York City while battery-powered.
"Imagine being able to fly from San Francisco to San Diego, Boston to Baltimore, or Nashville to New Orleans without the need to go to an airport and with no emissions except water," said Joby's founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt. "That world is closer than ever, and the progress we've made towards certifying the battery-electric version of our aircraft gives us a great head start as we look ahead to making hydrogen-electric flight a reality."
It will still be some time before you can book a hydrogen air taxi. While Joby plans to launch its original battery model for commercial flights in 2025, the hydrogen version is a bit further off.
Joby is making significant strides in leading the electric aviation revolution on multiple fronts. They recently acquired Xwing, a pioneer in autonomous flight software that has already completed hundreds of self-flying flights and landings.
The company has also reached a critical certification milestone with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), securing approval for its core aircraft systems. The next stage will involve the FAA examining the complete aircraft along with each of its integrated systems.
Joby envisions a future where its battery and hydrogen models can operate side-by-side using the same landing pads and infrastructure. It has already raised $2 billion from heavyweight investors like Toyota, Delta, and Uber, ensuring it is well capitalized to realize its vision.