How far can an air taxi fly?
Here’s how far the companies say their air taxis can fly, why batteries set the limit, and how much energy the rules keep in reserve. We checked every source on October 20, 2026.
How far do the companies say they can fly?
These are each company’s own figures:
- Joby: a target range of up to 100 miles on a single charge. Company-stated. Source: Joby 2025 Form 10-K (opens in new tab).
- Wisk: 90 miles (about 144 km) with reserves for its Generation 6. Company-stated. Source: Wisk, October 3, 2022 (opens in new tab).
- Archer: Midnight’s range and payload are optimized for back-to-back trips of around 20 miles, with little charging between them. Company-stated. Source: Archer 2024 Form 10-K (opens in new tab).
- SkyDrive: 15–40 km (9–25 miles) for its compact SD-05. Company-stated. Source: SkyDrive SD-05 page (opens in new tab).
Some figures include reserves and some don’t, so they aren’t a side-by-side comparison. For a longer reference point, BETA lists a maximum demonstrated range of 336 nautical miles for its ALIA CTOL, the version that takes off from a runway. Company-stated. Source: BETA aircraft page (opens in new tab).
Why do batteries limit range?
A battery’s label overstates what the aircraft can use. NASA researchers studying the X-57, an electric test airplane, found that about 77 percent of the battery’s energy reached the motor shafts on an optimized mission. With a 25 percent reserve held back, only about half of the pack’s 55.3 kWh nominal energy did useful work. Source: NASA, Battery Evaluation Profiles for X-57 and Future Urban Electric Aircraft, 2020 (opens in new tab).
The same paper found that a bigger battery runs more efficiently, but its added weight cancels the gain in performance.
How much energy must stay in reserve?
In the U.S., an airplane on a VFR flight must carry enough fuel to reach its first planned landing point, then fly 30 more minutes by day, or 45 at night. A rotorcraft needs 20 minutes. Source: 14 CFR 91.151 (opens in new tab).
For VFR flights, air taxis follow the airplane rule by default. The FAA lets one use the 20-minute rotorcraft rule only if its flight manual shows it can land vertically anywhere along the route. The FAA counts battery energy as fuel here. Source: FAA AC 194-1, Powered-Lift Operations (opens in new tab).
In Europe, rules for flying these aircraft have applied since May 1, 2025. EASA’s guidance calls for a final reserve of at least 5 minutes of flying at go-around and approach speed, plus contingency energy of 10 percent of the planned trip. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2024/1111 (opens in new tab), EASA AMC and GM to Part-IAM, Issue 1 (opens in new tab).
How long are typical city trips?
Short. Joby says its modeling shows more than 99 percent of urban routes in New York City and Los Angeles are much shorter than its 100-mile target. In 2023, it said 99.4 percent of all trips in New York City are under 50 miles. Company-stated. Sources: Joby 2025 Form 10-K (opens in new tab), Joby, June 2023 (opens in new tab).
Archer estimated its first announced route, Newark Airport to Downtown Manhattan, at under 10 minutes. First announced air taxi routes lists them by city, and When will air taxis launch? covers the timelines.
How does that compare with a helicopter?
Air taxi vs. helicopter compares seats, range, cost, and rules. What is eVTOL? explains how these aircraft are built.