Electric taxis are about to fly in 26 states

The Federal Aviation Administration approved eight pilot programs that will allow several companies, including Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation, and Wisk to begin testing the spread of electric aircraft at the beginning of the summer.

The three-year program, which will cover 26 countries, is designed to ensure that US companies lead the way in the use of aircraft for passenger travel, transport, cargo, and emergency medicine, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. he said in response Monday.

The pilot program, known as the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program, was announced last year. through the hierarchy and President Donald Trump to speed up the development of future aircraft.

Many electric take-off and landing (eVTOL) companies have emerged in recent years with promises to launch urban taxis and other electric regional aircraft. However, getting these planes into commercial operation will take years and millions of dollars. The FAA must certify every new aircraft, which is a multi-year process.

The pilot program will allow these companies to test their eVTOL aircraft even if they have not yet received official certification.

This type of fast turnaround time can encourage the efforts, and share prices, of many eVTOL companies such as Archer, Beta, and Joby that have become popular in recent years.

Beta Technologies founder and CEO Kyle Clark he said being selected for the program will allow the company to begin flight operations a year earlier than expected. The company’s stock rose nearly 12% on Monday. Archer and Joby, which are also publicly traded, also saw their shares jump.

Archer compared the eVTOL program to the robotaxi experiment and said it would help build confidence and establish a playbook for the development of electric taxis. The company, which is developing a four-person eVTOL called Midnight, said it will also help prepare Los Angeles taxis for the 2028 Olympics.

“This agreement will help us understand how to safely and efficiently integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System,” FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau said in a prepared statement. “This program will provide important operational information that will inform the standards needed to enable safe Advanced Air Mobility operations. We appreciate the great interest shown in the many proposals we received.”

The FAA said it received 30 proposals.

These companies are not going it alone, however. The pilot program requires companies to partner with state, local, tribal, or territorial governments.

These services cover a range of electric aircraft services, including urban taxis and air travel. For example, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has partnered with Archer, Beta, Electra, and Joby to test a dozen operational concepts, including one based on a Manhattan heliport.

The Texas Department of Transportation will work with Archer, Beta, Joby, and Wisk to test flights connecting Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and eventually Houston. The program will also include the creation of taxi networks that will expand from each city to improve communities, according to the DOT.

Some projects have a more general meaning.

For example, a Utah-led project that will test next-generation aircraft and operational concepts across the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, and Plains of Oklahoma will test many next-generation aircraft and operational concepts. Another project, led by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, will involve 13 states to restart air travel across the country.

Other projects focus on delivery, medical response, and automation. Beta, Elroy Air, and others will test cargo and crew flights to the Gulf of America and power stations in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.

The departments of transportation in Florida, Louisiana, and North Carolina are also leading the effort. The City of Albuquerque is working with Reliable Robotics to test autonomous operations.