The Trump administration said on Friday that it would allow companies to test limited operations of electric air taxis before they are formally certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The pilot program is designed to accelerate use of next-generation aircraft, including but not limited to aircraft that are designed to take off and land like a helicopter and fly like a plane once in the air. Approved companies will be allowed to test piloted or unmanned aircraft, and the test flights may carry cargo or passengers.
Any new aircraft has to be certified by the F.A.A. before it can carry passengers or cargo commercially. But obtaining that approval is very difficult and can take many years. Several companies have spent more than a decade developing air taxis that can carry a handful of people or small loads of cargo. No aircraft has been certified and the first such approval is not expected for a year or more.
“The United States will lead the way, and doing so will cement America’s status as a global leader in transportation innovation,” the transportation secretary, Sean P. Duffy, said in a statement. Mr. Duffy said that the industry will create high-quality jobs and that the program will allow companies to begin “safely testing the deployment” of their aircraft.
The program was previewed in a June executive order President Trump signed to advance the development, testing and commercialization of drones, air taxis and other new aircraft. At least five pilot projects will be selected by Mr. Duffy in consultation with the F.A.A.; proposals are due by mid-December.
Only state, local, tribal and territorial governments working with private companies can apply and safety will be the “highest priority,” the F.A.A. said in a document describing the application process. The agency expects proposals to include multiple businesses and use cases. They will have to include safety plans, information about flight routes and other details. The program will last for three years from the start of the first project.
Air taxi companies and their customers envision the aircraft being used for various purposes. They could take travelers from cities to nearby airports or transport people and goods around rural areas. These aircraft are typically powered by batteries, though some companies are also developing hybrid aircraft that can travel longer distances. The military, which does not have to wait for F.A.A. certification, has separately been testing aircraft for its own use.
“We’ve spent more than 15 years building the aircraft technology and operational capabilities that are defining advanced aerial mobility, and we’re ready to bring our services to communities,” said Greg Bowles, chief policy officer at Joby Aviation, a company in Santa Cruz, Calif. “We look forward to demonstrating our aircraft’s maturity and delivering early operations in cities and states nationwide.”
Joby, which is backed by Toyota, Uber and Delta Air Lines, is one of several U.S. businesses working on air taxis. Its biggest rivals include Archer Aviation, which is in San Jose, Calif., and BETA Technologies of South Burlington, Vt.
While all three of those companies are building air taxis, BETA is also developing a small electric plane that some aviation experts have said will probably have an easier time being certified for commercial use by the F.A.A. The companies have already tested the aircraft on hundreds of flights and thousands of miles. In recent months, BETA has flown its conventional aircraft in the United States and Europe, while Joby completed a flight between two California airports.
In a statement, Archer’s chief executive, Adam Goldstein, described the pilot program as “a landmark moment.” He added: “These early flights will help cement American leadership in advanced aviation and set the stage for scaled commercial operations in the U.S. and beyond.”
Archer plans to produce the aircraft at a factory in Georgia. Joby has a plant in Ohio and BETA has one in Vermont. Several other companies are working on air taxis in Brazil, China and Europe.
Niraj Chokshi is a Times reporter who writes about aviation, rail and other transportation industries.
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