AASHTO Journal - FAA Launches Advanced Air Mobility Pilot Project

The Federal Aviation Administration recently launched a new pilot program to accelerate the deployment of advanced air mobility or AAM vehicles; an action that dovetails with an executive order issued by President Trump in June aimed at supporting the American drone industry.

[Above photo by the FAA]

The pilot program, known as the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program or “eIPP,” 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.

“The next great technological revolution in aviation is here [and] the United States will lead the way,” explained Sean Duffy, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, in a statement.

“That means more high-paying manufacturing jobs and economic opportunity,” he added. “By safely testing the deployment of these futuristic air taxis and other AAM vehicles, we can fundamentally improve how the traveling public and products move.”

“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,” added FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “We will take the lessons learned from these projects to enable safe, scalable AAM operations nationwide.”

The FAA said its eIPP will include at least five pilot projects and will run for three years after the first project becomes operational. The agency noted that envisioned eIPP operations include piloted and unmanned approaches to short-range air taxis; longer-range, fixed wing flights; cargo transport; emergency management logistical support; medical transport; and service for off-shore energy facilities.

As part of the eIPP, the FAA is seeking participants for a public-private partnership program to demonstrate the viability of new AAM technologies including 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.

Participants will use piloted, optionally piloted, or unmanned AAM aircraft that will generally be over 1,320 pounds and may be capable of carrying passengers. They’ll also include technologies enabling safe integration of these aircraft into the national airspace system, FAA noted.

Many state departments of transportation are already heavily involved in AAM planning and operations.

For example, in June, the North Carolina Department of Transportation named the first recipients of a total of $1 million in funding via its Division of Aviation’s new AAM planning grant program.

Five municipalities and regional planning organizations received grants from that $1 million pool of funding to develop or enhance community-focused plans that incorporate AAM technologies through a partnership with NCDOT Aviation: the City of Greensboro; the Town of Cary; the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization or CAMPO; the Mid-Carolina Council of Governments; and Forsyth County.

NCDOT said that funding will support a wide range of planning activities, including transportation needs assessments, land-use and infrastructure planning, multimodal integration strategies, feasibility studies, and policy and regulatory alignment.

In December 2024, the Alabama Department of Transportation formalized its use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or drones in a variety of roles: from inspecting infrastructure to assisting with traffic management and disaster response.

The agency noted that it uses drones primarily in two ways: sending them up to scope an area prior to new construction or development, particularly in areas that may not be accessible by foot, and by helping monitor progress on infrastructure construction projects on a daily basis.

And in May 2024, the Utah Department of Transportation – in collaboration with Utah State University or USU – conducted a successful test of the state’s first air taxi launch from a “vertiport” using a Bell 505 Helicopter.

A “vertiport” is a defined area used for aircraft that will carry packages and people in the future. They can be located in places such as parking lots, the tops of office buildings, airports, and industrial complexes. The agency said this demonstration showcased how aircraft designated as “air taxis” can take off and land near homes and businesses with minimal impacts.