The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a new pilot program that will allow Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (EVTOL) startups to test some operations before they can receive full regulatory accreditation.
For these companies, this is a potentially significant change. This is because for the past few years I’ve been running limited test flights of aircraft while working on FAA approval. However, there are limitations to the program.
Companies must partner with state, local, tribal, or territorial governments to apply for the program. The FAA says it will approve at least five projects that can be carried out for up to three years, covering short-range air taxis, long-range fixed-wing flights, cargo transport, cargo transport for emergency or medical purposes, logistics and supply, and “improving automation safety.”
According to official solicitation documents, the FAA is looking for “people who can work with a variety of entities to achieve successful results by achieving successful results by accelerating these projects that are consistent with the high safety standards that the public expects from the aviation industry.”
“These projects, once successful, are expected to provide considerable data and lessons learned to inform the broader regulatory framework that supports and oversees the AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) sector,” the agency writes.
So far, on Friday, Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation announced they are planning to apply for the pilot program. Neither company said that which agency will apply, but Archer will work with existing partner (and investor) United Airlines. The application is scheduled for December 11th, 2025, and the pilot may begin soon in 2026.
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