A somewhat less publicized stipulation from President Trump’s executive order in June in which he called for “unleashing American drone dominance” was the White House’s mandate to launch an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVOTL) pilot program.
The Trump administration is seeking to build out these “emerging technologies” in order to “modernize methods for cargo delivery, passenger transport, and other advanced air mobility capabilities.”
It’s not surprising then that two of the most well-known eVOTL startups in the space – Archer Aviation (ACHR) and Joby Aviation (JOBY) – both announced their intention on Friday to apply to join the government’s pilot program.
Both companies were responding to a call for applicants for the program issued on Friday by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Called the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), it will include at least five pilot projects and will run for three years after the first project becomes operational.
“This pilot program gives us another opportunity to advance the Administration’s plan to accelerate safe eVTOL and advanced air mobility operations across the United States," FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement. "We will take the lessons learned from these projects to enable safe, scalable AAM operations nationwide."
Archer said that it is “exploring pathways” to work with U.S. airlines, including United Airlines, as well as interested U.S. cities where it can execute trial operations of its Midnight aircraft as part of eIPP.
The company said the trials will look to show that eVTOL aircraft are “safe, quiet and scalable.”
United Airlines invested in Archer back in 2021.
“This is a landmark moment for our industry and our country,” Adam Goldstein, Archer Founder and CEO, said in a statement. “We have an Administration that is prioritizing the integration of eVTOL operations in U.S. cities ahead of full certification in a pragmatic way. We’ll demonstrate that air taxis can operate safely and quietly.”
Meanwhile, Joby touted its “operational readiness” for eIPP, noting that it “has the most mature eVTOL aircraft in the sector and has validated its aircraft capabilities in a variety of contexts,” which includes its vertical takeoff and landing capabilities in “use cases” without access to runways, including cities.
It also highlighted the 40,000 miles of flight testing it has undertaken across its fleet and the 600 flights it has taken in 2025 alone. Joby also noted that it’s in the late stages of gaining its FAA certification.
“President Trump has long recognized the significance of America’s leadership in the next era of aviation and this initiative ensures our nation’s leadership will continue,” Greg Bowles, chief policy officer at Joby, said in a statement. “We’ve spent more than 15 years building the aircraft technology and operational capabilities that are defining advanced aerial mobility, and we’re ready to bring our services to communities.”
Joby’s stock has surged 72.2% this year, while shares of Archer are down 10.3%.
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