FAA Unveils Pilot Program to Fast-Track Drone, Air Taxi Deployment

Pilot program aircraft can be manned or unmanned, the Federal Aviation Administration said, with some having the potential to carry passengers.
FAA Unveils Pilot Program to Fast-Track Drone, Air Taxi Deployment
A model of Wisk Aero's eVTOL (electric, vertical take-off and landing) autonomous air taxi at the Farnborough Airshow, in Farnborough, England. Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images
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A new pilot program announced on Sept. 12 by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy could one day see Americans traveling short distances in unmanned aerial taxis.

The Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) has five components consisting of both piloted and unmanned aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration said. They are Short-range air taxis; long-range fixed-wing flights; cargo services; new types of airlift methods for emergency management, medical transport, or offshore energy facilities; and enhanced safety and efficiencies in automation for advanced air mobility (AAM) operations.

Rob Sabo
Rob Sabo
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Rob Sabo has worked as a business journalist for nearly two decades and covers a broad range of business topics for The Epoch Times.