Regulatory Alert: FAA Announces New eVTOL Integration Pilot Program

September 12, 2025

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on September 12 announced the creation of a new program, known as the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), which is intended to use public-private partnerships to accelerate the deployment of eVTOLs and other advanced air mobility (AAM) operations into the National Airspace System. Under the program, FAA will award at least five contracts to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments to participate. Governmental entities must have a U.S.-based partner from the private sector with experience in eVTOL or AAM development, manufacturing, or operations to be eligible to participate and submit a proposal for consideration.

Any SLTT government, including an airport sponsor, that is interested in participating in the program must submit a proposal to the FAA no later than Thursday, December 11 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Details on how a sponsor can submit a proposal can be found here in FAA’s “Screening Information Request” (SIR) (located at the bottom of the page). FAA also issued a press release that can be viewed here.

Background. In June, President Trump issued an executive order, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” which, among other things, directed FAA to establish an eIPP to accelerate the deployment of eVTOL operations in the United States. The eIPP was modeled after a similar program that FAA created under the first Trump administration, known as the UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) (later called, “BEYOND”), which used public-private partnerships to address challenges associated with enabling more routine beyond visual line of sight drone operations. Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority was one of the participants in that program.

Highlights from the eIPP Solicitation. FAA has published a contract opportunity on SAM.gov that provides details about the eIPP, including the SIR and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document. Both the SIR and FAQs can be found at the bottom of the webpage. Based on our review, we wanted to share several highlights for airport sponsors that are considering submitting a proposal:

Program Goals: The goal of the eIPP is for FAA to work with eligible SLTT governments and their private-sector partners to demonstrate the viability of AAM technologies in “ways that deliver new benefits to the public” and then take those “lessons learned from these projects to enable such operations at scale, consistent with the highest safety standards.” Data will be generated from each of the pilots that can be used to inform the development of regulations and guidance.
Eligibility to Participate: FAA may only receive proposals to participate in the eIPP from SLTT governments. In addition, a public entity’s proposal must contain a “letter(s) of attestation” from a U.S.-based private sector partner, including “capability statements and experience in eVTOL or other AAM aircraft development, type certification, manufacturing, and operations, or support services.” Aircraft involved in the proposal must have a FAA type certification project.
Funding Availability: No federal funding is available for participants that are selected to participate in the program.
Submitting Proposals: FAA has established an eIPP Portal where an SLTT government may submit a proposal. An SLTT government may only submit one proposal; however, such an entity may be included as a partner in proposals from one or more other SLTT governments. Indeed, the SIR contemplates that multiple public entities can submit a proposal along with a private sector partner. As an example, FAA states that a project focused on regional flights could require or necessitate “work with more than one community, or a consortia of communities across states” to demonstrate operational capabilities.
Selection Criteria: Each proposal submitted must include certain information, as more fully discussed in the SIR, and will be evaluated using five criterion: (1) the overall representation of economic and geographic operations and proposed models of public-private partnership; (2) the overall representation of the operations to be conducted, including AAM, medical response, cargo transport, and rural access; (3) policy and regulatory insight potential; (4) aircraft and operational readiness; and (5) support for operations. The proposal must contain the required letter(s) of attestation from an appropriate U.S.-based private sector partner, or it will be eliminated from consideration.
Questions from Prospective Participants: Prospective participants may submit questions to the FAA through the agency’s eIPP Portal no later than Tuesday, October 7 at 5 p.m. ET.

Timeline: Prospective applicants must submit a proposal through the FAA’s eIPP Portal no later than Thursday, December 11 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Under the executive order, FAA has been directed to select a minimum of five pilot projects to participate in the eIPP no later than March 3, 2026. The program will conclude three years after the date the first pilot project becomes operational, unless otherwise extended.