Joby Aviation’s eVTOL air taxi debuted in South Korea this week to conduct a series of demonstration flights for the Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) Grand Challenge, the California-based aircraft developer announced on December 13. 

The experimental JAS4-1 eVTOL aircraft has been flying at the Goheung Aviation Test Center in South Jeolla Province periodically since December 6, arriving in Korea just over one month after it flew in Japan for Joby’s first-ever overseas flight demonstration.

On Saturday, December 14, Joby’s aircraft will take off from Goheung once more to demonstrate its “quiet acoustic footprint” before an audience of more than 200 spectators, including guests from the Korean and U.S. governments, the company said. 

According to Joby, this aircraft (registered N542JX) was the first electric air taxi to fly for the K-UAM Grand Challenge, which Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) organized to support the upcoming launch of commercial eVTOL operations in the country. 

“Completing our first flights in Korea marks a significant milestone toward launching operations in the Korean market, where our service has incredible potential to save people time and improve connectivity in densely populated cities like Seoul and more remote areas like Jeju Province, where natural barriers complicate ground transportation,” said Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt.

In 2022, Joby and its investor SK Telecom announced they would participate in the K-UAM grand challenge as part of the “Dream Team” consortium of companies. Other Dream Team members include Korea Airports Corporation, Hanwha Systems, TMAP, Plana, and MintAir.

“Through the Grand Challenge, Joby Aviation, along with the K-UAM Dream Team including SKT, is showcasing the next generation of world-leading aviation capabilities by combining their world-class eVTOL aircraft with the Korean industry's technology on flight control, traffic management, and vertiport operations,” said Hyung Pil Jun, assistant minister for the Korean government’s mobility and motor vehicles bureau.

Seven consortiums representing 46 companies from around the world are participating in the K-UAM Grand Challenge, including Archer Aviation, Hyundai subsidiary Supernal, and Eve Air Mobility, a subsidiary of Brazilian airframer Embraer.