Electric air taxis are preparing to fly in 26 states

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved eight pilot programs that will allow several companies, including Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation and Wisk, to begin testing widespread electric aircraft this summer.

The three-year program, which will span 26 states, is designed to provide leadership for U.S. companies in next-generation aircraft used for personal travel, regional transportation, cargo logistics and emergency medical services, Transportation Department Secretary Sean Duffy said. said in his speech on monday.

The pilot program, known as the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program, was announced last year. through an executive order President Donald Trump to accelerate the development of the futuristic plane.

Numerous electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) companies have emerged in recent years with promises to launch urban air taxis and other regional electric aircraft. However, putting those planes into commercial use will take years and hundreds of millions of dollars. The FAA must certify any new aircraft, a multi-year process.

The pilot program will allow these companies to test eVTOL aircraft without receiving full regulatory certification.

Such an accelerated timeline could boost the efforts and stock prices of many eVTOL companies that have gone public in recent years, such as Archer, Beta and Joby.

Kyle Clark, Founder and CEO of Beta Technologies he said Being selected for the program will allow the company to begin aircraft operations a year earlier than expected. The company’s stock price rose nearly 12% on Monday. Publicly traded Archer and Joby also saw shares jump.

Archer compared the eVTOL program to the robotaxis trial, which he said will help build confidence and create a manual for safely measuring electric air taxis. The company, which is developing a four-passenger piloted eVTOL called Midnight, said it will also help prepare 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 needed to ensure safe Advanced Air Mobility operations. We appreciate the strong interest reflected in the many proposals we received.”

The FAA said it received 30 proposals.

But these companies are not going it alone. The pilot program requires companies to partner with state, local, tribal or territorial governments.

The projects cover several applications of electric aircraft, including urban air taxis and regional flights. For example, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey partnered with Archer, Beta, Electra, and Joby to test multiple operational concepts based on the 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. According to the DOT, this program includes building air taxi networks that will expand from each city to expand regional coverage.

Some projects have a wide geographical impact.

For example, the Utah-led project will test next-generation aircraft and operational concepts in the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains and the Oklahoma plains. Another project led by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will cover 13 states to revive 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 flights to the Gulf Coast and to energy industry hubs in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.

The departments of transportation in Florida, Louisiana and North Carolina are also leading projects. The city of Albuquerque is working with Reliable Robotics to test autonomous operations.