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The FAA’s eVTOL pilot program, explained

The eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, or eIPP, lets air taxis and other new aircraft fly real-world test operations in the U.S. while the FAA writes the rules for everyday service. Here’s who is in it, what has flown, and what it doesn’t do. Every fact links to the FAA. We checked them on October 10, 2026.

The short version

  • The FAA picked eight projects on March 9, 2026, from more than 30 proposals. Together they span 26 states.
  • State and local governments lead each project, working with aircraft companies.
  • The FAA uses the data to write rules for operations at scale.
  • It isn’t a shortcut. Aircraft must already be in FAA type certification.

Sources: FAA, March 9, 2026, FAA eIPP fact sheet

Where it came from

The program was outlined in Executive Order 14307, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” signed June 6, 2025. The FAA describes it as a set of public-private partnerships with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. Sources: The White House, FAA eIPP fact sheet

The eight projects

Lead agency, plan, and aircraft partners, as the FAA listed them on March 9, 2026. Where the FAA wrote “Other,” we say “others.”

  • Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
    12 operational concepts across New England, including eVTOL passenger flights at the Manhattan heliport.
    Partners: Archer, BETA, Electra, Joby
  • Texas Department of Transportation
    Regional flights linking Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and eventually Houston, with air taxi networks around each city.
    Partners: Archer, BETA, Joby, Wisk
  • Utah Department of Transportation
    Four states from the Pacific Northwest to Oklahoma, testing a wide range of aircraft and operations.
    Partners: Ampaire, BETA, Joby, others
  • Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
    A 13-state group working to bring back regional flights, including routes like those in the Essential Air Service program.
    Partners: BETA, Electra, others
  • Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
    Cargo and crew flights over water to energy sites in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.
    Partners: BETA, Elroy Air, others
  • Florida Department of Transportation
    A statewide effort in three phases: cargo, passengers, automation, and medical response.
    Partners: Archer, BETA, Electra, Joby, others
  • North Carolina Department of Transportation
    Piloted medical and regional flights across the state, plus an autonomous operation reaching into Virginia.
    Partners: BETA, Joby, others
  • City of Albuquerque
    A focused project on early autonomous operations.
    Partners: Reliable Robotics

Source: FAA, March 9, 2026

What has flown so far

The FAA said operations would start by summer 2026. Two launches it announced in September:

  • Texas, September 10, 2026. BETA’s ALIA and Joby’s air taxi flew demonstrations at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport. The FAA said Joby would then fly a round trip to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Source: FAA, September 10, 2026
  • North Carolina, September 2026. Joby’s remotely piloted J208 flew from Dare County Regional Airport to Raleigh-Durham International. BETA’s ALIA flew medical and disaster response test missions between three state airports. Source: FAA, September 23, 2026

The FAA says more test flights are planned. Its releases describe other launch sites but don’t list them all, so we don’t give a count.

What it doesn’t do

  • It doesn’t replace certification. The FAA says the program “is not a mechanism to bypass certification requirements.” How FAA certification works.
  • It isn’t public ticket sales. The FAA calls these test flights and demonstrations.
  • It doesn’t last forever. The FAA expects it to run for three years after the first project starts operating.

Source: FAA eIPP fact sheet

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