Philip Butterworth-Hayes
The “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” presidential executive order of June 6 has opened the door to swifter and less complex access of eVTOLs to the US National Airspace System.
Four actions within the wider executive order relate directly to the emerging US eVTOL industry, and require the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the FAA, to:
- Establish the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) as an extension of the BEYOND program to accelerate the deployment of safe and lawful eVTOL operations in the United States.
- Within 90 days shall issue a public request for proposals to State, local, tribal, and territorial governments. Proposals must be submitted within 90 days of the request and include a private sector partner with demonstrated experience in eVTOL aircraft development, manufacturing, and operations.
- Within 180 days, select at least five pilot projects that plan to begin eVTOL operations within 90 days after the date on which any agreement for a pilot project is established. Selection criteria shall include, at a minimum, the use of eVTOL aircraft and technologies developed or offered by a United States-based entity; overall representation of economic and geographic operations and proposed models of public-private partnership; and overall representation of the operations to be conducted, including advanced air mobility, medical response, cargo transport, and rural access.
- Within 180 days submit an initial implementation report to the President through the Director of OSTP, summarizing early-stage planning, interagency coordination, and any immediate regulatory or legislative challenges identified. Before and after the conclusion of the eIPP, the Secretary of Transportation shall use the information and experience yielded by the eIPP to inform the development of regulations, initiatives, and plans to enable safe eVTOL operations, and shall, as appropriate, share information with the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant agencies.
The drone dominance order is also aimed at unblocking two of the main institutional obstacles to scaling eVTOL operations in the USA: easier access to low level airspace and the establishment of five advanced air mobility entire ecosystems, including ground facilities and airspace access, to more closely understand the operational relationships between all stakeholders, including the non-aviation stakeholders.
For more information
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/unleashing-american-drone-dominance/
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