The U.S. Department of Transportation recently celebrated North Carolina’s first demonstration flight of next-generation aircraft under USDOT’s Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program – the fifth location to launch such demonstration flights as part of the agency’s initiative, following Texas in early September.
[Above photo by NCDOT]
Joby Aviation, BETA Technologies, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation are collaborating to test regional flight and medical transport capabilities between small local airports and a major hub using electric vertical takeoff and landing or “eVTOL” aircraft. The demonstration flight highlighted by USDOT entailed Joby’s remotely piloted J208 flying from Dare County Regional Airport to Raleigh-Durham International Airport, while BETA’s electric ALIA aircraft completed 16 test flights between Raleigh Executive Jetport, Pitt-Greenville Airport, and the Dare County airfield.
Data from those and other demonstration flights will be used by the Federal Aviation Administration to develop new regulations that safely enable this futuristic technology at scale, noted Sean Duffy, USDOT secretary, in a statement.
“More than 120 years after the Wright Brothers took to the skies at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina is again leading the charge to transform how Americans move,” he said – adding that NCDOT and other program participants are planning additional flights through the rest of 2026. “Thanks to these tests, we are closer than ever to welcoming next-generation aircraft into our skies.”
“Integrating these new aircraft into our airspace is an exciting step, and these demonstrations in North Carolina help ensure we do it safely,” added Bryan Bedford, FAA administrator. “We’re taking the data and lessons learned to build a system that connects communities and creates more opportunities for jobs and essential services.”
“Rooted in our legacy as the First in Flight state, North Carolina is committed to shaping the future of aviation,” noted Daniel Johnson, NCDOT secretary. “Through eLIFT-NC, we’re exploring emerging technologies that can expand access, strengthen connections to rural communities, and create new ways to move people and goods across our state.”
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