The FAA has approved 8 pilot programs to test electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in 26 states in the next 3 years.
According to the US Department of Transportation, the program is built to promote leading US companies in the field of new generation aircraft, serving many purposes such as personal travel, regional transportation, freight transportation and emergency medical assistance.
Participating businesses include Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation and Wisk. These companies are developing electric flying taxi models with the expectation of providing urban and intercity air transport services in the future.
The pilot program was announced under an executive order to promote the development and commercialization of eVTOL aircraft. The FAA said the initiative allows companies to test aircraft in practice even when the full certification process is not completed.
According to the FAA, the agency received 30 proposals to participate in the program before selecting 8 projects. Projects must be implemented jointly with state, local government or relevant agencies.
Some projects will test urban air taxi services, while other projects focus on regional transport, freight transport or medical support.
The FAA said the pilot program will help collect actual operating data, thereby building safety standards and management processes for the new generation of electric aircraft.
