FAA Picks 8 eVTOL Projects as US Air Taxi Plans Get Real

The FAA and the US Department of Transportation said they selected eight proposals for the federal Advanced Air Mobility and eVTOL Integration Pilot Program.

The agencies said the projects span 26 states and could lead to public operations starting by summer 2026.

The program covers several types of operations, including urban air taxi flights, regional passenger transport, cargo services, medical response, and other advanced aviation use cases.

The program is designed to test real transport use cases

More than 30 proposals were submitted, and the government chose eight. The goal is not only to test aircraft, but also to understand where these services could fit into the wider transportation system.

These projects could eventually shape how travelers get to airports, connect between nearby cities, or access areas that are harder to serve with traditional ground transport.

Archer and Joby move closer to early operations

Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation are among the best-known companies linked to the selected proposals. Archer said the approved projects in Texas, Florida, and New York are a major step toward bringing its Midnight aircraft into service. Joby said its selected projects support a path toward operations across 10 states, including New York, Texas, Florida, and New Jersey.

Delta has partnered with Joby on future home-to-airport transportation, while United has backed Archer’s airport access plans. That does not mean airlines expect large eVTOL revenue anytime soon. But it does show that major carriers want a role in this market if these aircraft become useful for short airport-related trips.

The government is now focused on real operating experience

The FAA says the program will help regulators understand how to integrate these aircraft safely and efficiently into the National Airspace System.

The sector has already spent years on aircraft design, certification work, and demonstration flights.

In December 2025, DOT released its Advanced Air Mobility National Strategy, which set out a longer-term plan for building the sector. The new project selections show that the government is now moving from strategy into execution.

Photo by Mason Dahl on Unsplash