On Friday, September 12, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), an effort to “accelerate the deployment of advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles” in the U.S.

According to a statement from the FAA, the plan will “will form public-private partnerships with State and local government entities and private sector companies to develop new frameworks and regulations for enabling safe operations.”

Specifically, the eIPP’s pilot projects focused on short-range air taxis, longer-range, fixed wing flights, cargo, logistics and supply efforts aimed at emergency management, medical transport or offshore energy facilities, and initiatives to improve automation safety.

In its statement, the FAA said it is “seeking participants for a public-private partnership program to demonstrate the viability of new AAM technologies including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in ways that deliver new benefits to the American public. Applicants must be a State, local, tribal or territorial government with a U.S.-based private sector partner or partners.” 

Further, the FAA said, “Participants will use piloted, optionally piloted, or unmanned AAM aircraft that will generally be over 1,320 lbs. and may be capable of carrying passengers. Participants will also include technologies enabling safe integration of these aircraft into the national airspace system.”

The announcement of the eIPP comes following the Trump Administration’s executive orders to reduce regulatory barriers for BVLOS operations, expand eVTOL use, and create a roadmap for integrating uncrewed systems into the national airspace.

Commenting on these recent developments, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said, "This pilot program gives us another opportunity to advance the Administration’s plan to accelerate safe eVTOL and advanced air mobility operations across the United States. We will take the lessons learned from these projects to enable safe, scalable AAM operations nationwide."