Electric air taxis are about to fly in 26 states

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved eight pilot programs that will allow a handful of companies, including Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation and Wisk, to begin large-scale testing of electric aircraft as early as this summer.

The three-year program, which will cover 26 states, is designed to ensure that American companies lead the way in next-generation aircraft used for personal travel, regional transportation, cargo logistics and emergency medicine, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in remarks Monday.

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

Several electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) companies have emerged in recent years with promises of launching urban air taxis and other regional electric aircraft. However, bringing these aircraft into commercial operation takes years and hundreds of millions of dollars. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must certify any new aircraft, a process that takes several years.

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

This kind of accelerated timeline could boost the efforts and stock prices of several electric helicopter companies like Archer, Beta, and Joby that have gone public in recent years.

Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta Technologies, said being selected for the program will allow the company to begin aircraft operations one year earlier than expected. The company’s stock price rose nearly 12% on Monday. Shares of Archer and Joby, which are also publicly traded, saw shares jump as well.

Archer compared the eVTOL program to testing robotaxis, and said it would help build confidence and set the rules of the game for safely scaling electric air taxis. The company, which is developing a four-passenger eVTOL plane 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 set the standards needed to enable safe advanced airlift operations. We appreciate the strong interest reflected in the many proposals we have received.”

The FAA said it received 30 proposals.

However, 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 electric aircraft applications, including urban air taxis and regional aviation. For example, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has partnered with Archer, Beta, Electra, and Joby to test dozens of operational concepts, including one based on a helipad in Manhattan.

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. This program will include building networks of air taxis that will expand from each city to expand their regional scope, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Some projects have broad geographic impacts.

For example, a Utah-led project that will test next-generation aircraft and operational concepts across the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the plains of Oklahoma 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 flights carrying cargo and people to the U.S. Gulf and to energy industry sites in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.

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