Joby Aero Inc.

Joby Aero Inc. is a venture-backed startup headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, that specializes in the development of advanced electric aircraft technologies, particularly electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, as well as autonomous flight capabilities and innovative aerospace research and development. The company operates as a for-profit Subchapter S Corporation and has established itself as a strategic innovation partner to the Department of Defense through numerous federal contract and grant awards. Joby Aero's technical expertise spans autonomous flight systems, advanced propulsion technologies, digital engineering and digital twin capabilities, and detect-and-avoid systems that support next-generation aviation platforms and advanced air mobility initiatives.

Joby Aero Inc. has received substantial federal contract awards totaling over $2.25 billion from defense agencies, primarily the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. The company's most significant contract award is a $2.21 billion Other Transaction Agreement from the U.S. Air Force, executed on March 3, 2022, for electric vertical takeoff and landing flight test research and development, prototype simulators, and digital engineering and digital twin research and development, with work scheduled through December 30, 2025. Additional major contract awards include a $16.98 million Other Transaction Agreement from AFRL awarded July 31, 2025, for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III superpilot development and prototyping extending through May 20, 2026, and a $13.8 million firm-fixed-price purchase order from the Office of the Secretary of Defense awarded February 17, 2024, for oblique flying wing prototype and demonstration under SBIR Phase III with total small business set-aside designation. Joby Aero has also received multiple SBIR Phase II and Phase III delivery orders under the AFRL's $5 million Indefinite Delivery Contract, including awards for autonomous logistics and cargo development ($480,800), system for advanced avoidance development ($525,156), reporting and analysis of autonomous cargo operations ($229,363), and the REFORPAC effort ($2,723,141), as well as a $3.1 million SBIR Phase II purchase order from AFRL for remotely operated large cargo trials and detect and avoid testing. Additional contract work includes a $5 million Other Transaction Agreement from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service for blended wing body research and development. The company has consistently received federal contract awards without set-aside designations, with the exception of the oblique flying wing and remotely operated large cargo contracts which were designated as total small business set-asides.

Joby Aero Inc. has participated in federal grant-funded research as a subcontractor on academic research projects. The company served as a sub-awardee on a grant from the Trustees of Boston University, awarded May 30, 2024, which focused on aeroacoustics and test rotor development. Under this sub-award, Joby Aero provided technical personnel including Jeremy Bain, who serves as CFD and Aeroacoustics Lead and technical point of contact, and Austin Thai, an Acoustics Senior Engineer, who contributed expertise in the development and selection of test rotors, experimental design for multi-rotor testing, and lower fidelity code selection across all project phases.

Joby Aero Inc. holds a single $5 million Indefinite Delivery Contract awarded by the Air Force Research Laboratory on March 1, 2024, extending through March 1, 2029, under the Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase III with no set-aside designation. This IDV serves as the parent vehicle for multiple delivery orders focused on autonomous flight capabilities, resilient autonomy, and advanced propulsion systems. Work under this contract is primarily performed in Concord, California and Dayton, Ohio. To date, the Air Force Research Laboratory has issued four delivery orders totaling approximately $3.96 million against this IDC: the $2,723,141 REFORPAC effort, the $480,800 autonomous logistics and cargo development order, the $525,156 system for advanced avoidance development order, and the $229,363 reporting and analysis of autonomous cargo operations order. All delivery orders under this IDV utilize firm-fixed-price pricing structures with no set-aside designations and support Joby Aero's continued research and development activities in autonomous flight systems, remotely operated cargo operations, and detect-and-avoid testing for innovative aviation technologies.