The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved eight pilot programs that will allow electric flying taxis to begin widespread testing across 26 states as early as this summer, marking a major step forward for a technology once considered science fiction.
Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy announced the three-year program on Monday (March 9), saying it is designed to ensure U.S. companies lead the way in next-generation aircraft used for personal travel, regional transportation, cargo logistics, and emergency medicine.
The program, known as the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), stems from an executive order signed last year by President Donald Trump. It aims to speed up development of electric aircraft that can take off and land vertically, much like a helicopter, but powered entirely by electricity.
Chris Rocheleau, the FAA’s deputy administrator, said in a prepared statement: “These partnerships will help us better understand how to safely and efficiently integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System. The program will provide valuable operational experience that will inform the standards needed to enable safe Advanced Air Mobility operations. We appreciate the strong interest reflected in the many proposals we received.”
The FAA received more than 30 proposals and selected eight projects.
According to TechCrunch, the companies selected include Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation, and Wisk, all of which have spent years and hundreds of millions of dollars developing eVTOL aircraft. The pilot program is significant because it allows these companies to begin testing operations even before receiving full FAA certification, which is typically a years-long process.
The eight selected projects cover a wide range of applications and locations across the country.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is partnering with Archer, Beta, Electra, and Joby to test 12 different operational concepts, including flights into Manhattan’s Downtown Skyport heliport.
In Texas, Archer, Beta, Joby, and Wisk will study regional flights connecting Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and eventually Houston. The program includes building networks of air taxis that expand outward from each city.
The Utah Department of Transportation plans to test a wide range of aircraft across four states in the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the plains of Oklahoma. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation submitted one of the largest applications, with activities spanning 13 states focused on restoring regional air routes.
Other projects are based in Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, and the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Reliable Robotics will test autonomous cargo operations.
In the coming weeks, eIPP participants will finalize agreements with the FAA that will spell out exactly what will and will not be permitted. Operations are expected to begin within 90 days. The data collected during testing will be shared with regulators and made publicly available unless deemed proprietary.
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