US regulators have approved a range of pilot programmes that will see electric taxis take to the skies of 26 states.
Otherwise known as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, the upcoming transport option is aimed at delivering short-haul flights in urban areas. However, it’s one thing building an aircraft and another getting it certified for flight. This is an area where many eVTOL companies are struggling: getting past the testing stages into operation because of stringent regulations and safety rules.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said its new programme is aimed at capturing this nascent market before widespread deployment in other countries. The pilot projects will create “one of the largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft in the world”. Data from the pilot projects will be used by the FAA to develop new regulations to safely roll out the technology at scale.
US citizens will supposedly start to see operations begin under the...