WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Transportation has launched a new Federal Aviation Administration pilot program aimed at speeding the arrival of advanced air mobility technologies such as electric air taxis, cargo drones, and emergency transport aircraft.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program, or eIPP, will create partnerships between federal, state, and local governments and private companies to test and develop the regulatory frameworks needed to bring these aircraft into regular use.
“The next great technological revolution in aviation is here,” Duffy said. “The United States will lead the way, and doing so will cement America’s status as a global leader in transportation innovation. That means more high-paying manufacturing jobs and economic opportunity. By safely testing the deployment of these futuristic air taxis and other AAM vehicles, we can fundamentally improve how the traveling public and products move.”
The pilot program follows President Donald Trump’s executive order to “unleash American drone dominance.” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said lessons from the projects will inform national rules. “This pilot program gives us another opportunity to advance the Administration’s plan to accelerate safe eVTOL and advanced air mobility operations across the United States,” Bedford said. “We will take the lessons learned from these projects to enable safe, scalable AAM operations nationwide.”
The initiative will begin with at least five pilot projects and will run for three years after the first becomes operational. Envisioned operations include short-range piloted and unmanned air taxis, longer-range fixed-wing flights, cargo transport, logistics support for emergency management and offshore energy facilities, medical transport, and safety enhancements through automation.
Officials said the effort has the potential to expand connectivity for rural communities, reduce road congestion in urban centers, and boost emergency response capabilities, marking what they describe as the next chapter in U.S. aviation leadership.
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