Image Credit: Captain Electro.
I've been pretty much shouting from the rooftops about electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for over a decade. We've been promised a future where we can hop over a traffic jam like a grasshopper. But while China has been whisking passengers around in autonomous pods since last year, Uncle Sam has been stuck in a bureaucratic ditch, chewing on red tape and humming "America the Beautiful" to itself.
Well, sound the bagpipes and grab a bourbon, because the wait is finally over. The FAA has finally rubbed the sleep from its eyes and greenlit operations across the USA. This summer, we aren't dreaming of the Jetsons - we're actually getting them. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy just dropped the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), and it's the industrial-strength kick in the backside this industry desperately needed.
Image Credit: Beta Technologies.
The FAA demanded - and rightly so - these flying Whizz-Bang-mobiles be as safe as a commercial airliner. They expect a failure rate of less than one in a billion flight hours - that's about 1,500 times safer per mile than an average teenager texting and driving. It's a noble goal for sure, but it's been a right damp squib for innovation. Thanks to some serious political maneuvering, we're bypassing the "wait fifty years for a permit" phase and moving straight into the "let's see if this thing actually works" phase.
Eight lucky programs have been picked to lead the charge. We're gonna have real flights in Florida, Manhattan, Texas, and even Utah. It's not just for show, either. They're doing everything from moving cargo to shuttling impatient executives from rooftop to rooftop. Imagine avoiding the Lincoln Tunnel by simply flying over it in something that looks like a carbon-fiber dragonfly. The solution is cleaner and quieter than a helicopter. And it promises to be about as cheap as an Uber - if that doesn't make you grin, you might actually be a statue.
Image Credit: Archer Aviation.
Leading the pack are the homegrown heroes: Joby Aviation, Archer, BETA, and Wisk. Joby has been stuck at 97% of their FAA compliance for what feels like an eternity. They've done thousands of test flights, but the paperwork was heavier than the planes. Finally, they get to prove their mettle. Their flagship S4 is a true masterpiece of engineering. I remember seeing its carbon-fiber bits drying in the sun years ago - it looked less like a plane and more like something an alien would use to nip to the shops for a pint of milk.
The technical bits are enough to make a gearhead jump with joy. These machines are designed for vertical takeoff, meaning you don't need a three-mile runway - just a sturdy roof or a flat bit of grass. While specific power outputs vary, these things are packing massive battery arrays and multiple redundant motors. Most are aiming for speeds around 200 mph, making the morning commute feel less like a slog and more like a scene from Star Wars.
Image Credit: Wisk.
The eIPP isn't about fun, though. It's a massive "catch-up" play against China. The Chinese have been dominating the drone market since the DJI Phantom started spying on neighbors in 2013. Companies like eHang have been flying pilotless taxis for a while. America is finally realizing that if we don't get these drones and eVTOLs in the air, we'll be left standing on the ground with our hands in our pockets.
Interestingly, some of these pilot programs, like the ones in North Carolina and Albuquerque, are looking at autonomous flight. Joby's "Superpilot" system is basically designed to make the human redundant eventually. If you were thinking of a career as an eVTOL pilot, I'd keep the day job. These things will be flying themselves before you can finish your first lesson.
Image Credit: Joby Aviation.
This summer, keep your eyes on the skies. Whether it's cargo being winched across the Gulf of Mexico or a high-flyer hopping from a Manhattan heliport to JFK, the electric revolution has finally taken off. And if this somehow doesn't work, I'm buying a donkey.
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