Joby’s pilot production line in Marina, California, with two of the company’s prototype aircraft. Source | Joby Aircraft

Joby Aviation (Santa Cruz, Calif., U.S.) has officially acquired an existing facility at Dayton International Airport and begun hiring in support of the company’s initial manufacturing operations in Dayton, Ohio. The company announced in September 2023 that it had selected Dayton as the location for its scaled manufacturing facility, capable of producing up to 500 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft per year.

The facility will be fitted out to support initial manufacturing operations in Dayton, which are expected to begin later this year, supporting the manufacture of aircraft parts for Joby’s pilot production line in Marina, California

Joby’s acquisition of the on-airport facility is the first step in the company’s plan to develop facilities capable of building up to 500 aircraft per year in Dayton, which is expected to include the design and construction of a larger greenfield factory. “We’re pleased to be able to acquire an underutilized facility at Dayton International Airport and repurpose it as a modern, high-tech manufacturing center to serve as our initial manufacturing footprint in the region,” says Didier Papadopoulos, president of aircraft OEM at Joby.

Joby’s electric air taxi is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour offering high-speed mobility with low noise and zero operating emissions.