Oklahoma has long been known as an aviation hub, but the state could now help shape the future of flight — flying taxis.
Oklahoma has been selected by Joby Aviation, a California-based company, as one of 10 U.S. locations to test electric air taxis, utilizing the state’s aviation ecosystem and open airspace.
“If we go back to when I was a kid, “The Jetsons,” (was a) very, very similar concept,” Grayson Ardies, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, said.
Right now, if an Oklahoman needs a ride or lunch delivered, they call a rideshare service. Soon, they could call an air taxi.
Air taxis are electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The air taxis will be tested for transporting people, cargo and medical care.
“You could be looking at anything from a small, unmanned aircraft delivering your pizza on a Friday night, or it could be delivering a piece of lifesaving medicine to someone that’s in distress,” Ardies said.
Oklahoma’s wide-open airspace, rural areas, diverse weather and the presence of the Federal Aviation Administration Academy in Oklahoma City make it an ideal testing ground, according to the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics.
“One of the things that’s so exciting about this program and working in Oklahoma City is because of the rich aviation ecosystem that exists there, we’re going to be able to test things like integrating into the airspace, working with air traffic control,” Lydon Sleeper, head of U.S. strategic policy at Joby Aviation, said.
Joby Aviation says operations could start as early as this year.
“This is just another great forward step for Oklahoma. Being able to be partners on some of these selected IP test sites just goes along with that lineage and that heritage of being a forward leaning aviation state,” Ardies said.
https://www.koco.com/article/flying-air-taxis-delivery-services-oklahoma-joby-aviation/70762141