Eight projects from across the United States have been picked for a new eVTOL pilot program. This program will test air taxis and advanced air mobility in real-world situations.
Somewhere, George Jetson is already late for work.
For years, electric air taxis have been among aviation’s most talked-about technologies, always seeming just out of reach. Prototypes have flown, and flashy concept videos have promised city-to-city commutes in minutes. We’ve covered them extensively at AvGeekery. Startups building electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, have attracted billions of dollars in investment.
Until now, though, most of the progress has taken place in labs, hangars, and tightly controlled test flights.
On 9 March 2026, the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) moved closer to making this technology a reality. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that eight pilot projects in 26 states will join the Advanced Air Mobility and eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), a national effort to test how these aircraft can safely operate in US airspace.
The program began with President Donald Trump’s “Unleashing Drone Dominance” executive order, which aimed to speed up the use of new aviation technologies. The FAA says this initiative will create one of the largest real-world testing grounds so far for next-generation aircraft.
The future of aviation is here.
US DOT Secretary Sean P. Duffy
“Thanks to President Trump, the future of aviation is here, and it’s going to dramatically improve how people and products move,” Secretary Duffy said in announcing the program. “Working together, we will ensure America leads the way in safely leveraging next-gen aircraft to radically redefine personal travel, regional transportation, cargo logistics, emergency medicine, and so much more.”
If all goes according to plan, Americans could begin seeing these aircraft in action as early as summer 2026.
A Nationwide Testbed for the Future of Flight
Rather than concentrating on just one city, the program will test across a wide range of locations. The eight chosen projects bring together state transportation agencies, local governments, and industry partners to try out different types of operations.
One of the most high-profile projects will happen in the New York metro area, where the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will test several advanced air mobility ideas across New England. This includes the possibility of passenger eVTOL flights from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (JRB), a spot already known to helicopter commuters.
Several major aircraft developers are involved in that effort, including Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, BETA Technologies, and Electra.
In Texas, the state Department of Transportation will focus on regional air mobility by connecting Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, and possibly expanding to Houston. The idea is to create air taxi networks that reach out from big cities to nearby communities.
Other projects are led by transportation agencies in Utah, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Florida, and North Carolina. There’s also a special autonomy project that will be managed by the City of Albuquerque in New Mexico.
Florida’s program will test a wide range of uses, such as cargo delivery, passenger transport, automated flights, and emergency medical missions.
Louisiana’s project will focus on moving cargo and workers to offshore energy sites in the Gulf, while North Carolina will test regional passenger flights and medical transport, with plans to expand autonomous operations into Virginia.
Across all eight projects, the program will evaluate a wide range of operational concepts, including:
- Urban air taxi passenger service
- Regional passenger transportation
- Cargo and logistics networks
- Emergency medical response operations
- Autonomous flight technologies
- Offshore and energy sector transportation
What Exactly Is an eVTOL?
The aircraft in these programs are a new kind of aviation technology that combines features of helicopters, drones, and regular airplanes.
Most eVTOL aircraft use several electric propellers to take off and land straight up and down, like a helicopter, then switch to flying on wings for efficient cruising. Since they don’t need runways, they could use small landing spots called vertiports in cities or near transport hubs.
Companies like Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation are working on piloted electric air taxis that can carry about four people on short trips. For example, Archer’s Midnight aircraft uses 12 propellers and engines and is built to be much quieter than a regular helicopter.
The aim is to swap long car rides for quick flights. Archer says it hopes to turn 60 to 90-minute commutes into much shorter trips using quiet, all-electric aircraft.
But making this vision a reality takes more than just building the aircraft. Regulators need to figure out how these vehicles can safely fit into already busy airspace.
Building the Playbook for a New Industry
That’s where the pilot program comes in.
Instead of waiting for the technology to be fully ready before making rules, the FAA plans to collect real-world data from these early projects.
MORE eVTOL COVERAGE ON AVGEEKERY
- Manhattan to JFK in Seven Minutes? Delta is Betting On It
- Toyota and Joby Conduct First eVTOL Flight in Japan
- Archer, United Unveil Proposed NYC Air Taxi Network
- United Airlines Makes $10M Down Payment for Flying Taxis
- US Army Places a Bet On Ultra-STOL Aircraft
“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.”
Over 30 proposals were sent to the Department of Transportation and the FAA before they chose the final eight projects.
For aircraft makers and investors who have worked for years to build this industry, the program is a strong sign that the US is serious about bringing advanced air mobility to the market.
“This is a defining moment for American innovation,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation. “Instead of just reading about the future of flight, communities across America are going to be able to see it in the skies above their own cities this year.”
This is a defining moment for American innovation.
JoeBen Bevirt | Founder + CEO of Joby Aviation
If the program goes as regulators and manufacturers hope, the skies over parts of the United States could soon look much different. Electric air taxis carrying passengers, cargo, or medical supplies may start appearing in places where helicopters used to be common. For generations who grew up watching cartoons like The Jetsons, the idea of riding in a flying commuter vehicle once felt like pure fiction.
With these pilot programs preparing to launch, that long-imagined future may finally be edging closer to reality.
