Joby Aviation and NASA have completed a series of air traffic simulations to assess how eVTOL air taxi operations can be integrated into public airspace. The exercises were conducted at NASA’s Ames Research Center, including simulated flights at busy airports using existing air traffic control tools and procedures.

The partners developed the simulations based on learnings from an extended study, and these involved scenarios involving dozens of eVTOL aircraft per hour flying in and out of the airspace around the Dallas-Forth Worth (DFW) area. The exercise made use of NASA’s Future Flight Central facility, which is a high-fidelity control tower with a 360-degree view of a real-time airport simulation.

As well as engineers, pilots and air traffic controllers were involved in simulating traffic patterns at both Dallas Love Field and DFW airports. At its peak, the work tested the ability to integrate 120 eVTOL operations each hour in the DFW central terminal area, alongside the airport’s existing traffic. Up to 45 simulated eVTOL aircraft were flown simultaneously in DFW’s Class B airspace.

“Working alongside our NASA colleagues, we have now demonstrated in a real-world simulation how air taxi operations can take place in today’s airspace system, alongside active airport traffic, using tools and procedures currently available to air traffic controllers,” said Tom Prevot, Joby’s air taxi product lead. “These successful simulations were made possible by years of careful planning and collaboration between two organizations committed to redefining what is possible, and we’re proud to be paving the way towards the scaled commercialization of air taxis in the National Airspace System.”

NASA and Joby’s combined engineering team hosted representatives from the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association to observe the simulation. NASA posted initial details of the exercise online and will publish a complete analysis of the results in 2024.

Joby is working to complete type certification of its four-passenger eVTOL vehicle in time for commercial flights to start in 2025. It recently completed its first piloted test flight.

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