Pilot Program Aims to Accelerate Deployment of New Aviation Technologies
In 2025, the DOT and FAA announced a new pilot program to accelerate the deployment of advanced air mobility (AAM). The electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) will use public-private partnerships with state and local government entities and private sector companies to develop new regulations enabling safe eVTOL and autonomous operations.
The eIPP will run for three years and will include short-range air taxis, cargo operations, and longer range fixed-wing flights, as well as a focus on automated aircraft. Participating aircraft may be piloted, optionally piloted, or unmanned.
“The eIPP opens new avenues for smaller airports to get involved in AAM. It is a valuable educational pathway to get engaged and get their stakeholders involved,” said NATA’s Managing Director of Industry Affairs and Innovation, Juliet Jordan. “The program is designed to benefit a broad swath of diverse airports.”
State, local, tribal or territorial government entities were eligible to apply for the program with a U.S.-based private sector partner. In March, the DOT and FAA selected eight projects spanning twenty-six states and involving a number of OEM and other industry stakeholders to participate in the eIPP.
“More than 40 entities submitted applications to the FAA and DOT, which demonstrates demand by communities, states, and tribes. These entities raised their hands saying they want to be the global standard bearer for the future of aviation, whether in eVTOL operations or autonomous flight,” said Ryan Naru, Joby Aviation’s Aviation Policy and Regulatory Affairs Lead. “They see the public benefit and economic benefit of aviation and, more importantly, expanded access to aviation.”
“Aviation traditionally has had to push into communities and demonstrate value over years of operations. This demand shows it’s a pull—people want to be part of it,” Naru added.
Future Rulemaking
The eIPP builds upon the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) IPP, which held similar aims for accelerating UAS operations in the U.S. The IPP helped to inform the recently proposed BVLOS rule.
“We are shooting for same goal as the IPP: safely bringing new technology and innovative developments to the National Airspace System (NAS),” said Jordan.
In the case of eVTOL, a final rule already exists to establish a formal rulemaking framework for pilot qualifications and operations. The 2024 Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) created Part 194—SFAR No. 120—Powered-Lift: Pilot Certification and Training; Operations Requirements.
“The eIPP program extends Joby’s existing special airworthiness operations into a structured learning environment where real-world flight data, operational procedures, and safety records accumulate in a form the FAA can act on,” Naru explained. “Rather than arriving at type certification (TC) and Part 135 operations with only test program experience behind us, eIPP creates the opportunity to refine the initial SFAR frameworks—pilot qualification, operating limitations, maintenance protocols—against actual commercial-adjacent conditions. That evidentiary-base positions each successive authorization as an incremental step rather than a leap and opens the possibility of reaching revenue operations before TC under limited constructs such as air tours or fixed-route air taxi, where the operational environment is bounded enough to support early FAA approval.”
“The SFAR was always intended to be a temporary, 10-year rule with additional operations informing future rule revisions, as the FAA explicitly communicated in the rule’s preamble. The SFAR is already 18 months old. Now the eIPP gives FAA focus and flexibility to waive SFAR parts for continued FAA and industry conversation a bit earlier than the 10-year timeline,” Naru added.
Naru explained this is likely to mean increased focus on pilot qualifications, not just around a powered-lift category rating or the aircraft type rating, but also what makes sense for mission qualification.
“How do we conduct line training so pilots are well qualified to complete these unique missions? That’s one question Joby expects the eIPP to address,” said Naru.
The eIPP is an opportunity to clarify some language in the SFAR, which uses terminology that doesn’t directly apply to all aircraft, such as “vertical-lift flight mode” and “wing-borne flight mode.” Some aircraft don’t have discreet “modes,” making compliance with the letter of the regulation unclear, though the aircraft meets the intent of the regulation.
The eIPP will also help the FAA develop ATC guidance for integration for both powered-lift aircraft and increasingly autonomous aircraft operations.
For example, Joby Xwing’s Cessna 208B Grand Caravans, retrofitted with autonomous controls, are already in use with the U.S. military and have flown thousands of miles under VFR and IFR conditions in Class B, C, D, and uncontrolled airspace. The eIPP will give these aircraft and other aircraft with autonomous capabilities a platform to demonstrate safe operations, accelerating increasingly autonomous operations in civilian uses.
Some areas explored in the eIPP might expand to other segments of the industry. Experts expect that operational allowances or training methodologies demonstrated in eIPP operations, including performance-based fuel reserves and competency-based training and assessment (CBTA), could be applicable to traditional aircraft.
Industry Collaboration
The eIPP offers new opportunity for industry stakeholders to learn from each other. Manufacturers, operators, and airport and infrastructure partners, although sometimes competitors, will work together to ensure safe integration of new technologies into the NAS. This program is just one demonstration of the collaborative work required to bring new technologies to the public on a broad scale.
“Safety is not proprietary,” said Jordan. “These organizations work together through trade associations and formal government/industry initiatives to develop regulatory frameworks, policies, and industry best practices.”
Naru agreed, adding, “Trade associations, including NATA, are perfect forums for non-competitive safety conversations. We expect these conversations to continue for several years and to be accelerated through eIPP experience.”
The launch of the eIPP marks a pivotal step forward in the evolution of aviation technologies, fostering collaboration between government and industry stakeholders to accelerate safe integration of advanced air mobility into the NAS. By drawing upon lessons from previous initiatives and enabling flexible, real-world testing across diverse environments, the eIPP will inform future regulations, enhance pilot training standards, and expand operational allowances for both traditional and emerging aircraft.
The program’s emphasis on partnership and data-sharing demonstrates the industry’s commitment to safety and innovation, ensuring that the benefits of new aviation technologies reach communities nationwide. As the eIPP unfolds over the coming years, its outcomes will help shape the future of aviation, making it more accessible and efficient while maintaining the level of safety we expect in the National Airspace System.
