‘Flying Taxi’ Technology Edging Closer with Help from Department of Transportation

(NEXSTAR) – The Department of Transportation has launched a new pilot program to advance electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, commonly known as flying taxis. This initiative aims to encourage companies to deploy these revolutionary aircraft across the United States.

This program marks a new chapter in the legacy of American flight, focusing on modernizing air travel. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced the creation of the electric vertical takeoff pilot program.

“The country and the companies that are the greatest innovators are the ones that are going to win,” Duffy said during the program announcement.

BETA Technologies, a company participating in the program, plans to first focus on cargo deliveries before expanding into air taxis.

Kristen Costello from BETA Technologies explained that an initial investor saw the potential for critical deliveries. “One of our initial investors in the company wanted to find a way to deliver organs with these aircraft with sustainable solutions,” Costello said.

Joby Aviation, another company involved in the program, is working on vertical taxis and has partnered with Uber. Greg Bowles from Joby Aviation highlighted the appeal of avoiding ground traffic.

“It’s wonderful to drive, but traffic really becomes a problem quickly,” Bowles said. “If we can move you 30 to 50 miles in 10 minutes or 15 minutes, that’s meaningful.”

Advances in technology have made Joby Aviation’s aircraft and batteries lighter, enabling them to become airborne. These new air taxis are designed to take off like helicopters and then fly like airplanes.

The Federal Aviation Administration is actively clearing regulatory hurdles to facilitate the nationwide rollout of this technology through the pilot program. Costello noted the program’s role in community integration.

“It gives us a platform to bring the technology to communities,” Costello said.

Both Joby Aviation and BETA Technologies anticipate that their flying taxis could be available in cities by the end of this year.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published

By Vinay Simlot