Electric air taxis get the green light for test flights in Texas | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchLightSystemDarkTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Electric air taxis get the green light for test flights in TexasNotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TransportationCloseTransportationPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TransportationNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechElectric air taxis get the green light for test flights in TexasThe flights will be conducted under the White House’s new pilot program to test out electric, hybrid, and autonomous aircraft.The flights will be conducted under the White House’s new pilot program to test out electric, hybrid, and autonomous aircraft.by Andrew J. HawkinsCloseAndrew J. HawkinsTransportation editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew J. HawkinsSep 10, 2026, 4:00 PM UTCLinkShareGiftBloomberg via Getty ImagesPart OfAir taxis: the latest on the flying electric cars bringing the Jetsons dream to lifesee all updates Andrew J. HawkinsCloseAndrew J. HawkinsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew J. Hawkins is transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.A new federal program to test the feasibility of electric, hybrid-electric, and autonomous aircraft kicks off today in Texas — before the rules governing this new technology have even been finalized.Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration’s Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) selected eight state-led projects to serve as some of the first public tests of these new aircraft. The first one kicks off today in Texas, featuring three eVTOL companies: Joby, Beta, and Wisk.For the next week, these companies will conduct test flights demonstrating future routes between cities and regional airports, including Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The aircraft won’t carry any passengers, but regulators will be keen to see how the state’s air traffic control system handles the uptick in flight traffic. The companies, meanwhile, are eager to prove to the federal government that their aircraft deserve to be awarded type certification, which is required before any of them can carry passengers commercially in the US.But type certification can take years to attain, which led to the White House to create this pilot program allowing these companies to demonstrate their new technology — even before the regulatory process has concluded. Through the eIPP, the companies hope to accelerate their path to market by getting a head start on data collection that will be needed for certification. Data from the program will also be used to “develop new regulations that safely enable this futuristic technology at scale,” the White House said earlier.The companies say they are thrilled to demonstrate the future of electric and autonomous flight, which they argue will help reduce car traffic in cities and open up new mobility opportunities for consumers.“I’m incredibly excited by the potential for vertical lift in Texas, a state with the infrastructure, expertise, and partnerships to help lead the next era of American aviation,” JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, said in a statement.Several of these companies have conducted public test flights before — Joby’s egg-shaped aircraft demonstrated its future route between Lower Manhattan and JFK Airprot earlier this year — but these will be the first official flights under the White House’s new pilot program. Additional tests are being planned in New York, Utah, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, and New Mexico.Legal in-fighting, however, could muddy the picture for electric aviation. Joby and one of its rivals, Archer, are currently suing each other for stolen trade secrets and corporate espionage. Technology limitations, including battery weight and sensor decisions, could also hamper the rollout.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew J. HawkinsCloseAndrew J. HawkinsTransportation editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew J. 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A new federal program has commenced in Texas to test the feasibility of electric, hybrid-electric, and autonomous aircraft, even before the full regulatory framework for this technology has been finalized. This initiative is part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program, or eIPP, which has selected several state-led projects for initial public testing of these new aircraft. The pilot program is allowing companies to demonstrate their technology and gather crucial data needed to develop new regulations for safely scaling this futuristic technology.

The first phase of testing is taking place in Texas, involving three eVTOL companies: Joby, Beta, and Wisk. These companies will conduct test flights to demonstrate potential routes connecting cities and regional airports, including Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Crucially, these initial flights will not carry any passengers, allowing regulators to assess how existing air traffic control systems can manage increased flight traffic. The companies are utilizing this testing phase to build the necessary data required to pursue type certification, a prerequisite for any of them to operate commercially in the United States, a process that can take several years.

The motivation behind this pilot program, supported by the White House, is to accelerate the path to market for electric and autonomous flight by providing a head start on data collection. The participating companies express enthusiasm for the potential of vertical lift to reduce urban car traffic and create new mobility options for consumers. JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, noted the excitement regarding the potential for vertical lift in Texas, emphasizing the state's existing infrastructure and expertise in aviation.

Beyond Texas, additional testing is planned across several other states, including New York, Utah, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, and New Mexico. While the focus of the initial tests is on demonstrating feasibility and regulatory adaptation, the landscape for electric aviation is complicated by ongoing legal disputes, such as those between Joby and its rival Archer concerning trade secrets and corporate espionage. Furthermore, technological limitations, specifically relating to battery weight and sensor decisions, are also recognized as potential obstacles to the broader rollout of these aerial transportation systems.