SANTA CRUZ and LOS ANGELES, CA, Jan 6, 2026 – Joby Aviation will partner with Metropolis Technologies to develop 25 vertiports across the United States, using Metropolis’ parking network. The sites will include Metropolis’ AI-based vehicle recognition technology, and aviation and baggage services.
Metropolis operates more than 4,200 parking locations across North America and provides aviation services at over 350 sites, following its $1.5 billion acquisition of SP+ and a $1.6 billion Series D financing. Joby and Metropolis plan to select vertiport sites from this portfolio in early electric air taxi markets, evaluating both new and existing facilities using Metropolis’ computer vision technology.
“For air taxis to deliver on their promise of seamless urban travel, they must connect directly with the existing ground transportation ecosystem,” said JoeBen Bevirt, CEO and founder of Joby. “By leveraging existing parking infrastructure to create mobility hubs, we can deliver on our vision of seamless connectivity for our customers and also maximize the value of those sites without needing to build infrastructure from scratch.”
Metropolis will apply its biometrics, computer vision, and baggage handling services to support Joby’s effort to integrate air taxi operations into existing ground transportation hubs and deploy vertiports that meet safety and regulatory standards. The companies aim to accelerate Joby’s air taxi rollout by combining aviation services with Metropolis’ technology platform. Through its Bags Inc. subsidiary, Metropolis will introduce its Bags VIP service for Joby’s Blade Urban Air Mobility flights between Manhattan and JFK or Newark airports, which provide short-duration flights that bypass road congestion. Metropolis will manage baggage handling for Blade passengers in the New York City area, reducing friction for travelers. Metropolis operates parking, luggage logistics, remote check-in, and in-terminal guest services at more than 350 airports across North America.
Metropolis CEO, Alex Israel, commented on the partnership, “The real world is the next frontier for AI, and our partnership with Joby marks a critical first step in expanding the Metropolis platform into true mobility hubs to deliver remarkable value for Members and partners alike. This transformational partnership is the very definition of Applied AI in the physical world. We are taking the data and recognition capabilities we’ve built in our network and extending it to air travel, creating the seamless, personalized, and magical experience that is the foundation of the Recognition Economy.”
Source: Joby Aviation
About Joby Aviation
Joby Aviation develops electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Santa Cruz, CA, the company is building a piloted, five-seat aircraft intended for short-range passenger transport with an estimated range of about 100 miles and a top speed of 200 mph. Joby works in the aerospace, defense and air-mobility sectors, with operations that include aircraft development, parts manufacturing and fleet services in CA and OH. The company plans to operate its air-taxi service and also sell aircrafts. Joby is pursuing FAA certification to support a planned commercial launch targeted for 2026.
About Metropolis
Metropolis Technologies is a technology company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Santa Monica, CA. The company develops computer vision software that automates vehicle identification and payment for parking and mobility services. Its platform supports checkout-free transactions using cameras and software instead of tickets, gates, or kiosks. Metropolis serves parking operators, commercial property owners, airports, transportation providers, and other infrastructure-focused customers. Following its acquisition of SP+, the company operates more than 4,200 parking locations in the United States and has operations in about 40 countries. Metropolis also provides aviation-related services, including baggage handling, remote check-in, and in-terminal guest services at airport locations. The company’s technology supports parking operations, luggage logistics, and passenger services at transportation hubs and commercial sites. Metropolis reports its platform processes more than $5 billion in payments annually and reaches about 50 million users. The company adds more than 1 million new members each month.