FAA picks eight projects to test flying taxis across 26 states

FAA greenlights flying taxi tests nationwide

The FAA and Department of Transportation picked eight proposals on March 9 for a new pilot program that will test electric aircraft across 26 states.

The Advanced Air Mobility and eVTOL Integration Pilot Program pairs government agencies with private aircraft companies to fly electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles in real-world conditions.

These aircraft lift off straight up like helicopters but run on electric or hybrid engines. Operations could begin by summer 2026, but these are test flights, not rides you can book.

Tests cover taxis, cargo, and medical flights

The eight projects cover a lot of ground. Some will test air taxis for short city hops.

Others focus on regional passenger routes, cargo delivery, emergency medical transport, autonomous flight, and even offshore energy operations.

The goal is to collect real-world data so the FAA can write safety rules for this new class of aircraft.

The program runs for three years after the first project launches, and the FAA picked from more than 30 proposals nationwide.

No company can carry passengers yet

None of the private companies in the program have full FAA approval to carry passengers. That’s actually the point.

The pilot program lets companies test their aircraft in real settings while they work through the certification process. The FAA plans to use what it learns from these flights to shape future regulations.

So think of it less as a launch and more as a dress rehearsal. Companies already going through the FAA certification process were eligible to join.

Drone testing program inspired this approach

The eIPP borrows from a playbook that already worked.

During the first Trump administration, the FAA ran the UAS Integration Pilot Program, which tested drone operations through the same kind of public-private partnerships.

That earlier effort helped produce the rules that now govern commercial drone flights across the country.

This new program takes the same idea and scales it up to larger, more complex aircraft that could one day carry people.

Trump signed the order that created it

President Trump signed Executive Order 14307, titled “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” on June 6, 2025. The order told the FAA to create the eIPP and pick at least five pilot projects by March 2026.

The FAA beat that target by choosing eight.

The executive order fits into a broader push to grow the American drone and electric aircraft industry, and the selection landed right on the deadline.

New York leads the biggest project

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will run the largest effort, coordinating 12 different types of operations across New England. Plans include flying eVTOL passengers from the Manhattan heliport.

Industry partners on this project include Archer, BETA Technologies, Electra, and Joby.

With so many moving parts in one of the country’s busiest airspaces, this project could give the FAA some of its most valuable data.

Texas aims to link its biggest cities

The Texas Department of Transportation wants to connect Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and eventually Houston through regional electric flights.

Air taxi networks would fan out from each city to extend their reach into surrounding areas. Partners include Archer, BETA, Joby, and Wisk.

If the concept works, it could offer Texans a faster alternative to the long drives between the state’s major metro areas.

Projects stretch from coast to mountains

Utah’s project covers four states across the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, and the plains of Oklahoma, with partners like Ampaire, BETA, and Joby.

Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation leads a 13-state effort called the NASAO AAM Multistate Collaborative.

That project aims to restore regional flight routes, including ones similar to those the Essential Air Service program once covered. Partners on the collaborative include BETA and Electra.

Southern states test cargo and medical flights

Louisiana’s project will send cargo and personnel flights over the Gulf of America and to energy industry sites in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. Partners include BETA and Elroy Air.

Florida is thinking even bigger with a statewide plan that rolls out in three phases, covering cargo delivery, passenger transport, automation, and medical response.

Archer, BETA, Electra, and Joby all signed on for the Florida effort.

North Carolina and Albuquerque round out the list

North Carolina’s Department of Transportation will focus on piloted medical flights and regional operations across the state, plus an autonomous flight operation that extends into Virginia. Partners include BETA and Joby.

The City of Albuquerque won the only city-led project in the entire program.

Albuquerque partnered with Reliable Robotics to push forward autonomous flight operations, making it a unique entry in the lineup.

One Vermont company landed almost every project

BETA Technologies, based in Vermont, showed up in seven of the eight projects selected.

The company builds both conventional and vertical takeoff electric aircraft and has logged more than 100,000 nautical miles. Joby and Archer each landed spots in at least five projects.

One thing worth noting: the FAA has not tied any federal funding to the program as of the announcement. Companies and their government partners are moving forward without it.

Public flights are still years away

For now, nobody can book a seat on these aircraft.

The program is a testing phase, and its results will help the FAA decide whether and how to allow commercial air taxi and cargo services down the road.

The DOT has called the combined projects one of the largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft in the world.

If things go well, the program could eventually change how Americans travel short distances, get emergency care, and receive deliveries.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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