The Trump administration announced a new pilot program on Friday to accelerate the deployment of flying air taxis as companies work to overcome regulatory hurdles in advanced air mobility.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the program will include at least five projects involving public-private partnerships with state and local governments and private-sector companies to enable safe operations for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Joby Aviation welcomed the move, saying aircraft in the program could begin operations in select markets ahead of full FAA certification – a critical step towards preparing for scaled commercial service.

Air taxi companies are racing to secure approvals and commercialize eVTOLs to meet rising demand for faster and more sustainable urban transport. The aircraft, which can take off and land vertically, are designed to ferry passengers on short city trips or to airports, bypassing road congestion.

President Donald Trump directed the creation of the program in June through an executive order.

Other countries, including India, China and the United Arab Emirates, are also advancing efforts to deploy eVTOLs, which could begin carrying paying passengers as early as next year.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said lessons learned from the pilot projects will be applied to enable safe, scalable operations nationwide.

The projects are expected to cover short-range air taxis, longer-range fixed-wing flights, cargo and logistics, as well as services for emergency management, medical transport and offshore energy facilities.

Participants will use piloted, optionally piloted or unmanned advanced air mobility aircraft weighing more than 599 kilograms, some capable of carrying passengers, and equipped with technologies to ensure safe integration into the national airspace system.

The FAA finalized comprehensive training and pilot certification rules for flying air taxis in October 2024.