Louisiana is breaking ground on dedicated test facilities for precertified electric and autonomous aircraft, positioning the state as a hub for next-generation aviation development.
Wisk Aero is the only major eVTOL company pursuing fully pilotless passenger flight from the ground up - a certification gamble that could reshape aviation safety standards industry-wide.
Archer Aviation's Midnight eVTOL is accumulating real FAA test data toward type certification, backed by United Airlines and a new powered-lift regulatory framework finalized in 2023.
The FAA has issued proposed special conditions for Skyryse's fly-by-wire retrofit of the Robinson R66, forcing a fundamental question: can pilots safely fly without mechanical feedback?
Reliable Robotics is pursuing FAA Part 135 certification to fly the Cessna 208 Caravan autonomously for cargo, with FedEx as a partner and commercial routes likely 3-5 years out.
AIR integrates Elmo servo drives into its 550-lb, eight-motor cargo UAS - a quiet engineering step with significant implications for certification and shared airspace.
Wisk Aero is pursuing FAA type certification for a fully pilotless passenger aircraft - a fundamentally harder regulatory challenge than anything aviation has attempted.
Reliable Robotics flew an empty Cessna Caravan by automating the pilot's job - not building a new aircraft - betting cargo leads aviation's autonomous future.
A new bill would force the FAA to publish certification timelines for eVTOL air taxis - and the transparency could eventually reach GA certification too.