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Joby Aviation on Wednesday said it bought a 700,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Dayton, Ohio, as the air taxi maker gears up to meet its production goals for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts, also known as eVTOLs.
Joby agreed to purchase the facility from Capstone STS for $61.5 million, according to a filing.
The company said the new location, its second in Ohio, more than doubles the size of its manufacturing footprint. The company also reiterated plans announced last year to more than double production capacity to four aircrafts a month by 2027.
CEO JoeBen Bevirt said the facility will support future growth plans at Joby, and ties into efforts to revitalize the commercial and defense aerospace industries on U.S. soil.
“The reindustrialization of Ohio has become central to Joby’s story and with unmatched governmental and policy support, we’re ready to make sure that the commercial and defense aircraft that define the future of flight are built right here in America,” Bevirt said in a release announcing the news.
Air taxi makers like Joby have scaled manufacturing in recent months, building up production facilities to support the burgeoning market and gain an edge over competitors. These companies are also racing for certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, which they need to start flying their aircrafts commercially.
In July, the Santa Cruz, California-based air taxi maker announced the expansion of its Marina, California, manufacturing facility and began producing propeller blades at its current Dayton, Ohio, location in October.
The company has received $894 million from carmaker Toyota to support production.
Over the years, Joby and its competitors have joined forces with airlines, government entities and defense partners to eventually offer eVTOL flights. The U.S. government is also looking to invest more in the sector.
Last year, President Donald Trump greenlit a pilot program to test air taxi technology, and the Department of Transportation unveiled a rollout roadmap to start testing in select markets.
Joby and competitor Archer Aviation have also partnered with Middle East nations to test and deploy their technology.
