FAA Selects Eight Pilot Projects to Fast-Track Safe Integration of Next-Gen AAM Aircraft

The U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration have launched one of the largest real-world testing programs for advanced air mobility (AAM) technology, selecting eight collaborative projects to demonstrate next-generation aircraft operations across 26 states. Announced March 9, 2026, by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, the Advanced Air Mobility and eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) will generate operational data to shape future regulations and support commercial scaling of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and related aircraft.

Operations under the eIPP are scheduled to begin by summer 2026, marking a concrete milestone in the transition from certification to routine NAS use. For city planners, infrastructure developers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), regulators and investors, the program offers immediate opportunities to evaluate vertiport requirements, airspace procedures, community integration, and business models in live environments—potentially accelerating timelines for urban air taxis, regional connectors, cargo networks and emergency services.

The selections emerged from more than 30 proposals evaluated by a joint DOT-FAA technical team on criteria including integration acceleration, operational diversity, regulatory insight potential, aircraft experience and partnership strength. The resulting projects encompass a broad spectrum of use cases: urban passenger services, regional short-takeoff-and-landing routes, cargo and logistics, medical response, autonomous flight demonstrations and offshore energy-sector transport.

Selected participants and their focus areas include:

• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, partnering with Archer, BETA, Electra and Joby, will test 12 operational concepts across New England, including eVTOL passenger flights at the Manhattan heliport.

• Texas Department of Transportation, with Archer, BETA, Joby and Wisk, plans regional air-taxi networks linking Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and eventually Houston.

• Utah Department of Transportation leads a four-state effort spanning the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains and Oklahoma Plains, involving Ampaire, BETA, Joby and others to evaluate diverse aircraft and concepts.

• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, through the NASAO AAM Multistate Collaborative, will work across 13 states to revitalize regional passenger routes modeled on the Essential Air Service program, with BETA, Electra and additional partners.

• Louisiana, collaborating with BETA, Elroy Air and others, will demonstrate cargo and personnel transport over the Gulf of America and to energy-industry sites in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.

• Florida Department of Transportation, partnering with Archer, BETA, Electra, Joby and others, will execute a three-phase statewide program covering cargo delivery, passenger transport, automation and medical response, backed by significant public-private investment.

• North Carolina Department of Transportation, with BETA, Joby and partners, will establish piloted medical and regional operations statewide while developing autonomous flights extending into Virginia.

• City of Albuquerque, in partnership with Reliable Robotics, will advance autonomous operations leveraging an existing regional autonomy developer already coordinating with the FAA.

Secretary Duffy emphasized the economic and societal potential: “Thanks to President Trump, the future of aviation is here — and it’s going to dramatically improve how people and products move. Congratulations to the great American innovators behind each of these exciting pilot programs. Working together, we will ensure America leads the way in safely leveraging next-gen aircraft to radically redefine personal travel, regional transportation, cargo logistics, emergency medicine, and so much more.”

FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau added: “These partnerships will help us better understand how to safely and efficiently integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System. The program will provide valuable operational experience that will inform the standards needed to enable safe Advanced Air Mobility operations.”

The eIPP directly implements elements of President Trump’s Unleashing Drone Dominance Executive Order and positions the United States to maintain global leadership in AAM. By creating a nationwide testing corridor, the program will deliver regulatory-grade data on safety, noise, traffic management and infrastructure interfaces—critical inputs for city planners designing vertiport networks and for investors assessing commercialization risk.

Industry observers note that the geographic spread and operational breadth will generate insights applicable to dense urban corridors, underserved rural routes and specialized logistics missions. OEMs participating in multiple projects gain cross-regional validation, while state and local governments secure early experience in permitting, public engagement and emergency-response integration.

As the selected teams move toward summer 2026 operations, the eIPP stands as a practical bridge between today’s regulatory framework and tomorrow’s integrated sky mobility ecosystem. Data collected over the coming months is expected to influence certification standards, airspace design and infrastructure investment decisions nationwide—delivering measurable progress toward a future where next-generation aircraft routinely serve passengers, deliver cargo and support critical services across America.