Air taxis: USA to start tests in 26 states soon

The USA wants to test air taxis on a large scale under real conditions for the first time. For this purpose, the US aviation authority FAA has selected eight projects for a pilot program, covering different fields of application.

These include urban air taxi services, regional passenger transport, freight and logistics, emergency medical services, and applications in the energy sector. Autonomous flight technologies are also to be tested as part of the trials. The program extends across 26 US states, is scheduled to start no later than summer 2026, and is designed to last three years.

Participating companies include Archer, Beta, Joby, Electra, Wisk, and Ampaire, among others. The company Reliable Robotics, which specializes in autonomous flight technology, is also involved in one of the projects.

“Together, these pilot projects will create one of the largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft in the world,” the US Department of Transportation wrote on the occasion of the announcement.

The pilot program allows companies to test their electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) even though they have not yet received full regulatory approval. In total, the FAA received and reviewed 30 project proposals.

German air taxi pioneers under pressure

The pilot program is based on a presidential decree by President Trump, aimed at accelerating the development of aircraft and securing the US's leading role in aviation innovation. The FAA aims to gain practical experience and data to safely integrate these aircraft into US airspace in the future.

However, official approval of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the USA and other countries is likely still years away. In Germany, for example, experts see major hurdles for regular operation: Bundestag researchers, in a study from 2025, primarily pointed to unresolved regulatory issues, such as air safety or the so-called airport obligation. Economically viable business models and possible impacts such as additional noise would also need to be clarified.

The expensive development and the continued lack of commercialization are causing even well-known German air taxi pioneers to falter. For Lilium, the crisis ended in final demise after several failed rescue attempts. The company's patents were sold to the US company Archer, which plans to use its Midnight air taxi at the 2028 Olympic Games. Volocopter, in turn, has since been taken over by a Chinese conglomerate and, after insolvency and restructuring, is now aiming for type certification of its VoloCity passenger air taxi by the European Aviation Safety Agency EASA for 2027. After the takeover, it was still stated that this was targeted for 2025.

(mki)