Regulatory Alert: DOT/FAA Announce Eight Projects for New eVTOL Integration Pilot Program

March 9, 2026

Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced eight projects selected for the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). The program will allow industry partners, states, and local governments to test real-world operations for emerging technologies such as urban air taxis, regional passenger flights, cargo logistics, medical response, and autonomous aircraft.

More than 30 proposals were submitted and reviewed by DOT and FAA based on their potential to advance the integration of advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft, demonstrate operational concepts, provide regulatory insights, and leverage strong public-private partnerships. The eight selected projects span 26 states and involve partnerships with aircraft developers and operators to evaluate how these next-generation aircraft can operate safely and efficiently.

Testing is expected to begin as early as summer 2026. Data collected from these demonstrations will help inform future FAA regulations and operational standards as advanced air mobility technologies move closer to commercial use.

Background. Last summer, President Trump issued an executive order, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” which, among other things, directed FAA to establish an eIPP to accelerate the deployment of eVTOL operations in the United States. The program builds on FAA’s earlier UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP), later expanded into the BEYOND program, which used public-private partnerships to address challenges associated with enabling more routine beyond visual line-of-sight drone operations.

In September, FAA formally announced the creation of the eIPP to help accelerate the integration of eVTOL and other advanced air mobility operations into the National Airspace System. Under the program, FAA will award contracts to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments that partner with private-sector companies with experience in AAM or eVTOL development, manufacturing, or operations.

Selected Entities. The following state and local government entities, along with their industry partners, were selected to participate in the eIPP:

1. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey: Archer, BETA, Electra, Joby
   
   
2. Texas Department of Transportation: Archer, BETA, Joby, Wisk
   
   
3. Utah Department of Transportation: Ampaire, BETA, Joby, Other
   
   
4. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation: BETA, Electra, Other
   
   
5. State of Louisiana: BETA, Elroy Air, Other
   
   
6. Florida Department of Transportation: Archer, BETA, Electra, Joby, Other
   
   
7. North Carolina Department of Transportation: BETA, Joby, Other
   
   
8. City of Albuquerque: Reliable Robotics

What’s Next? The selected projects will now move into the U.S. DOT’s Other Transaction Authority (OTA) process, where project scope, participation, and implementation details will be further defined. AAAE will continue to keep members informed as the program progresses