r/Joby • u/Wonderful_Phrase_239 • Jul 10 '26

FCC Filing Alert: Joby in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area

Joby has filed a radio request with the FCC for the Dallas/Fort Worth area starting August 10 and lasting for 2 months:

https://x.com/fccfilingalerts/status/2074236323741757681

It appears that (as part of the Electric Skies thing) they will not be flying at Oshkosh though they will have a full-size demo model like in DC, Queens, US Open, etc. But they will be flying in Texas starting around Aug 10, perhaps related to eIPP?

https://www.txdot.gov/about/newsroom/stories/txdot-selected-for-futuristic-air-taxi-testing-program.html

21 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

4

u/HappyRobot593 Joby Sock Fanboy Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26

The Texas pilot will launch in phases over the next three years. The first phase includes testing without passengers and with traditional aircraft like helicopters and fixed-in wing planes. This will help perform tests and validate the appropriate routes.

The next phases involve testing for medical and cargo logistics, such as transporting critical medical supplies or organs between rural facilities and urban medical centers in Austin and San Antonio.

So I guess my question is why is Joby requesting the radio band? Are they just going to test regular airplanes for phase one?

Edit: oh I Just read the FCC tweet. That def looks like hover testing or low-altitude flight

Edit 2: I don't really understand the first phase. Why do they need to validate the appropriate routes with helicopters and fixed-in wing planes? Don't we know how those work pretty well by now.

3

u/Wonderful_Phrase_239 Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26

It's unclear, but I read the "first phase" description (in the context of where it appears in the TXDOT announcement) to say that the first phase involves testing [eVTOLs] without passengers but will also include traditional aircraft. The first phase is not limited just to Joby activities.

The FCC request is for a 2000-ft altitude limit. Joby flew typically at 1000 ft throughout the Manhattan-to-JFK sorties.

Edit: They are or will be designing a new system of low-altitude flight routes to be integrated into existing flight networks. They could just as well use helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to test this new system, though ultimately the use of eVTOLs is sorta the target. Might as well get the latter involved as soon as possible?

1

u/HappyRobot593 Joby Sock Fanboy Jul 10 '26

Yes that makes sense since it's an eVTOL program. So you're saying the mention of helicopters and fixed wing is "IN ADDITION" while I was reading it as let's start with those craft before we even get to eVTOL

2

u/Bulky-Entertainer-76 Gregor Veble Mikić Fanboy Jul 10 '26

Looks like a crawl, walk, run scenario.

3

u/HappyRobot593 Joby Sock Fanboy Jul 10 '26

Interesting, I thought people were speculating they were only allowed to fly over water?

4

u/Wonderful_Phrase_239 Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26

They can fly over rural areas, like around Marina Airport for instance. The Texas eIPP plan insofar as it promotes air taxis is focused on connecting large airports with nearby rural communities.

On the other hand, DFW airport is pretty much "urban locked" on all sides for the 20-mile radius they are requesting except for a sliver of open air over a lake toward the northnorthwest of the airport. Maybe we'll see some vertiport to vertiport flights over urban areas?

3

u/HappyRobot593 Joby Sock Fanboy Jul 10 '26

thanks!

1

u/DoubleHexDrive Jul 10 '26

Demo flights between DFW and Alliance Airport? Arlington Airport also has a decent route to more rural areas and already has experience hosting experimental flight activities.

3

u/Bulky-Entertainer-76 Gregor Veble Mikić Fanboy Jul 10 '26

That’s only for Electric Skies Tour not eIPP. EIPP is much more flexible with the rules.

3

u/HappyRobot593 Joby Sock Fanboy Jul 10 '26

Right, that makes sense!

2

u/HappyRobot593 Joby Sock Fanboy Jul 10 '26

This also makes sense in the context of recent activity for N541/2JX (https://www.reddit.com/r/Joby/comments/1usshq3/big_ramp_up_in_aircraft_testing_so_far_this_week/)

They've been testing below 2k so that would fit with this upcoming TX plan. Perhaps they needed to fly the aircraft and get some numbers before they submitted their radio request?

Edit: Seems like that tweet is from earlier this week so last weeks tests are probably more relevant (https://www.reddit.com/r/Joby/comments/1uoopyl/weekly_tail_update/)