The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved eight pilot programs that will allow a handful of companies, including Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation and Wisk, to begin widespread testing of electric aircraft starting this summer.
The three-year program, which will span 26 states, is designed to ensure American companies lead the way in next-generation aircraft used for personal travel, regional transportation, cargo logistics and emergency medicine, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. said in comments Monday.
The pilot program, known as the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program, was announced last year. through executive order by President Donald Trump in an effort to accelerate development of the futuristic plane.
Numerous electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) companies have emerged in recent years with promises of launching urban air taxis and other electric regional aircraft. However, putting those planes into commercial operation takes years and hundreds of millions of dollars. The FAA must certify any new aircraft, which is a multi-year process.
The pilot program will allow these companies to test their eVTOL aircraft even if they have not received full regulatory certification.
That kind of accelerated timeline could bolster the efforts and stock prices of many eVTOL companies like Archer, Beta and Joby that have gone public in recent years.
Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta Technologies saying Being selected for the program will allow the company to begin aircraft operations a year ahead of schedule. The company’s stock price rose nearly 12% on Monday. Archer and Joby, which are also publicly traded, also saw their shares rise.
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Archer compared the eVTOL program to robotaxi testing and said it will help build confidence and establish a playbook for safely scaling electric air taxis. The company, which is developing a four-passenger piloted eVTOL called Midnight, said it will also help it prepare for air taxi operations in Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics.
“These partnerships will help us better understand how to safely and efficiently integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System,” FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau said in a prepared statement. “The program will provide valuable operational experience that will inform the standards necessary to enable safe Advanced Air Mobility operations. We appreciate the strong interest reflected in the numerous proposals we received.”
The FAA said it received 30 proposals.
However, these companies do not do it alone. The pilot program requires companies to partner with state, local, tribal or territorial governments.
The projects cover various electric aircraft applications, including urban air taxis and regional flights. For example, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have partnered with Archer, Beta, Electra and Joby to test a dozen operational concepts, including one based at a Manhattan heliport.
The Texas Department of Transportation will work with Archer, Beta, Joby and Wisk to test regional flights connecting Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and eventually Houston. That program will include building air taxi networks that will expand from each city to expand regional reach, according to the DOT.
Some projects have widespread geographic implications.
For example, a Utah-led project that will test next-generation aircraft and operational concepts throughout the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, and Oklahoma plains will test a wide range of next-generation aircraft and operational concepts. Another project, led by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, will involve 13 states to revitalize regional flights across the country.
Other projects focus on cargo delivery, medical response and automation. Beta, Elroy Air and others will test cargo and personnel transport flights to the Gulf of America and to energy industry locations in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.
The transportation departments of Florida, Louisiana and North Carolina are also leading projects. The city of Albuquerque is working with Reliable Robotics to test autonomous operations.
