DOT announces projects selected for U.S. eVTOL Integration Pilot Program

DOT Secretary Sean Duffy and the FAA announced on Monday the eight proposals that were selected as part of the AAM and eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). President Donald Trump's executive order on June 6, 2025, instructed the Secretary of Transportation and the FAA to establish the eIPP to accelerate eVTOL operations in the United States. The eIPP is designed to allow mature eVTOL aircraft to demonstrate uses, such as transportation, cargo, and emergency response, before receiving FAA certification. More than 30 proposals were submitted and were evaluated by a technical review team based on the ability to accelerate the integration of AAM aircraft, the breadth of operational concepts, potential insights, experience in aircraft development or manufacturing, and the strength of partnerships.The DOT claims these pilot projects will create one of the largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft. The data will be used by the FAA to develop regulations for AAM flights. Operations are expected to begin in under this program by summer 2026 and will span 26 states. "These partnerships will help us better understand how to safely and efficiently integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System," said FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau. "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 selected projects include a range of operational concepts, including: Urban air taxi services Regional passenger transportation (including short Takeoff and Landing aircraft) Cargo and logistics networks Emergency medical response operations Autonomous flight technologies Offshore and energy-sector transportation "This is the clearest sign yet from the White House, the FAA and the DOT that bringing air taxis to market in the United States is a real priority," said Adam Goldstein, Archer founder and CEO. "We appreciate Secretary Duffy and Administrator Bedford's leadership and are excited to bring Midnight to the skies of some of America's largest cities."RELATED STORIES:Hyundai U.S. eVTOL subsidiary lays off almost 80 percent of staffArcher partners with Starlink to bring connectivity to Midnight air taxisElectra joins Virginia program to create blueprint for AAM flight rules The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey project will have multiple partners collaborate on 12 operational concepts across New England, including eVTOL passenger operations at the Manhattan heliport. The selected partners are Archer, BETA, Electra and Joby. The Texas Department of Transportation project will support regional flights in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and eventually Houston with air taxi networks in each city to expand regional reach. The selected partners are Archer, BETA, Joby and Wisk. The Utah Department of Transportation project will span across the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains and the Plains of Oklahoma. It will taste a wide range of next-generation aircraft and operational concepts. The announced selected partners are Ampaire, BETA and Joby, but others will be included. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation project will have the NASAO AAM Multistate Collaborative work across 13 states to revitalize regional flights, like routes supported through the Essential Air Service program. The announced selected partners are BETA and Electra, but others will be included. The Louisiana project will test cargo and personnel transportation flights in high-energy industry locations like Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, as well as over the water into the sea. The announced selected partners are BETA and Elroy Air, but others will be included. The Florida Department of Transportation project will have three phases focused on cargo delivery, passenger transportation, automation and medical response. It will be supported by public and private investment. The announced selected partners are Archer, BETA, Electra and Joby, but others will be included. The North Carolina Department of Transportation project will work to establish piloted medical and regional operations across the state. It will also work on developing autonomous flight operations that extend into Virginia. The announced selected partners are BETA and Joby, but others will be included. The City of Albuquerque project is designed to focus on advancing autonomous operations with Reliable Robotics, which already operates in the region and coordinates with the FAA. "This program is a bold signal of America's commitment to maintaining our leadership position in aerospace," said Kyle Clark, BETA Founder and CEO. "Being selected for more applications than any other OEM is a testament to our safe and reliable operations and this team's ability to deliver. Our aircraft will carry out a range of missions, from critical cargo and medical to passenger. With our production facility already online, we're positioned to manufacture and deploy aircraft now. This program will allow us to begin those missions, bringing connectivity and access to communities across the U.S." "This is an historic moment in Advanced Air Mobility, as Electra stands shoulder to shoulder with others in the space to chart a course that will transform the way we travel," said Electra CEO Marc Allen. "Our entire team thanks President Trump, Secretary Duffy, and Administrator Bedford for their visionary leadership to accelerate the adoption of AAM. This Administration is opening the door for an American company to demonstrate how hybrid-electric propulsion works at scale, to reimagine how we use the skies, and to change the way that people get to where they want to go. It's American innovation at its best, and it showcases how Electra's Ultra Short has become an essential part of the AAM landscape."