Electric Air Taxi Services Prepare for Launch Across 26 U.S. States

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved eight pilot programs that will allow several companies — including Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation, and Wisk — to begin broader electric aircraft testing as soon as this summer.

The three-year initiative, which will span 26 states, is intended to help ensure that U.S. companies remain at the forefront of next-generation aircraft for personal transportation, regional travel, cargo movement, and emergency medical use, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in remarks on Monday.

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

A growing number of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) companies have emerged in recent years, promising to launch urban air taxis and other regional electric aircraft. But bringing those aircraft into commercial service is a long and expensive process that takes years and hundreds of millions of dollars. Any new aircraft must be certified by the FAA, and that certification process typically takes multiple years.

The pilot program will allow those companies to test their eVTOL aircraft even if they have not yet received full regulatory certification.

That faster path could strengthen the effort and the stock performance of several eVTOL companies, including Archer, Beta, and Joby, all of which have gone public in recent years.

Beta Technologies founder and CEO Kyle Clark said the selection will allow the company to begin aircraft operations a full year earlier than expected. Beta’s stock rose nearly 12% on Monday. Archer and Joby, which are also publicly traded, also posted share gains.

Archer compared the eVTOL effort to robotaxi testing and said the program would help build public confidence while also creating a roadmap for safely scaling electric air taxis. The company developing a piloted four-passenger eVTOL aircraft called Midnight said the program will also help it prepare for air taxi operations in Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.

“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 enable safe Advanced Air Mobility operations. We appreciate the strong interest reflected in the many proposals we received.”

The FAA reported receiving 30 proposals.

However, the companies involved are not operating independently. The pilot program requires every company to partner with a state, local, tribal, or territorial government.

The selected projects cover a range of uses for electric aircraft, including urban air taxis and regional flights. For example, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has partnered with Archer, Beta, Electra, and Joby to test a dozen operational concepts, including one centred on a Manhattan heliport.

The Texas Department of Transportation will work with Archer, Beta, Joby, and Wisk to test regional air routes linking Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and eventually Houston. According to the DOT, the project will involve building air taxi networks that expand outward from each city to broaden regional access.

Some of the projects have a broader geographic reach.

For example, a Utah-led project will test next-generation aircraft and operating concepts across the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the Plains of Oklahoma. Another initiative, led by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, will involve 13 states as part of an effort to revive regional flights nationwide.

Other pilot efforts are focused on cargo delivery, medical response, and automation. Beta, Elroy Air, and other companies will test cargo and personnel transport flights to energy-sector locations in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.

Transportation departments in Florida, Louisiana, and North Carolina are also leading projects. Meanwhile, the city of Albuquerque is partnering with Reliable Robotics to test autonomous flight operations.