Joby Begins Testing at World’s Largest Wind Tunnel Facility
Joby Aviation has begun propeller testing at the National Full-Scale Aerodynamic Complex (NFAC), the world’s largest wind tunnel facility at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, and is believed to be the first eVTOL company to test its propeller there.
Managed by the US Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex, the 40-by-80 foot NFAC contains the two largest operational wind tunnels in the world, data from which is widely considered to be the gold standard for aircraft aerodynamics, and which was instrumental in developing the space shuttle, the V‑22 Osprey and the F‑35 Joint Strike Fighter.
“Testing is a critical part of our aircraft program and the opportunity to gather data on the performance of our propellers in one of the world’s largest wind tunnels is an exciting step toward commercialization,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby.
“This facility helped introduce historic aircraft to the world, and is now doing the same for the next generation of sustainable aviation.”
AFWERX Prime programs leader Lt Col Tom Meagher added: “A cornerstone of the AFWERX Agility Prime program is fostering inter-agency partnerships and collaboration on the advanced air mobility segment.
“The NFAC testing is a perfect example of utilising unique government test resources and infrastructure critical to enabling industry progression.”
The test campaign will cover all tilt angles and speeds, providing Joby with consistent data on performance, load and acoustics of its propeller systems to support its certification program with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Working in partnership with the US Air Force and NASA, Joby is installing an electric propulsion unit and propeller assembly tunnel mounted on a six-degree-of-freedom force and moment balance.
The blades measure load while rotating, and a representative wing section of the Joby aircraft allows analysis of aerodynamic interference effects. The test campaign is expected to produce data of unparalleled quality due to superior instrumentation and precise control of variables.
Joby and NASA previously partnered on a variety of projects exploring electric aircraft technology, including the design of the agency’s all-electric X‑57 Maxwell prototype. The agency also completed a two-week acoustic testing program with Joby in 2022 as part of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign.
With more than 1,000 test flights completed, Joby’s piloted, all-electric aircraft is designed to offer a faster and quieter method of aerial transportation across cities and communities with zero emissions. Joby expects to launch commercial aerial ridesharing service in the United States in 2025.
