Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation are preparing to participate in the White House’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), the first federal initiative designed to accelerate real world electric air taxi operations in the United States.

The programme was launched following President Trump’s “Unleashing Drone Dominance” Executive Order. The Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that eIPP will include at least five projects over a three year period to demonstrate use cases such as passenger transport, cargo delivery and emergency response.

Archer is exploring partnerships with US airlines, including United Airlines, and interested cities to operate its Midnight aircraft in supervised trials. “This is a landmark moment for our industry and our country,” says Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein. “We’ll demonstrate that air taxis can operate safely and quietly.” United Airlines executive vice president and CFO Mike Leskinen says: “This programme underscores President Trump’s and Secretary Duffy’s commitment to American innovation.”

Joby says its operational maturity and testing experience put it in a strong position to join. It has logged more than 40,000 miles of testing, including nearly 600 flights this year, and recently completed its first flight between two public airports. “We’ve spent more than 15 years building the aircraft technology and operational capabilities that are defining advanced aerial mobility,” says Greg Bowles, chief policy officer at Joby.

US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy says the eIPP will “cement America’s status as a global leader in transportation innovation.” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford adds: “We will take the lessons learned from these projects to enable safe, scalable AAM operations nationwide.”