BusinessJul 13, 2026
Flying Taxis Near Takeoff, but Legal Battles Could Ground Them
Aviation Hurdles
Rhea Lobo
Discover
President Trump signed an executive order creating the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program last year. The Department of Transportation launched the program in September and named 26 participating states in March.
The program spans eight projects, and Beta Technologies was selected for seven of them, more than any other company. Beta recently completed the first test flights in the US government's electric vertical takeoff and landing pilot program.
Beta's CEO Kyle Clark described the company's approach as a stepwise path that prioritizes defense, logistics, and medical use cases before tackling passenger flights.
Beta's eVTOL aircraft is targeting FAA certification in 2028. Its conventional takeoff and landing craft is on track for 2027.
It's a milestone, but it's also a preview of how complicated this industry's road to commercialization actually is.
No air taxi maker has successfully flown commercial passengers in the US. The FAA requires companies to complete a multi-phase aircraft certification process before that can happen.
The most critical step is Type Certification, which is the official approval of an aircraft's design and parts.
Joby Aviation is the furthest along, most of the way through Phase 4 and conducting flight testing on its first FAA-conforming aircraft.
Archer Aviation recently completed Phase 3. Vertical Aerospace is pursuing certification through the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and is targeting passenger flights by 2028.
Eve Air Mobility is working with Brazil's civil aviation regulator and previously stated a 2027 service target.
Timelines across the industry have repeatedly slipped. Joby's CEO once projected 2024 operations. Archer's former co-CEO targeted 2024 certification, and the company later pushed that to a 2025 commercialization goal. Both dates have passed.
While companies race toward certification, several are also in court. Joby sued Archer last year, alleging corporate espionage and interference in a real estate deal.
Archer responded with its own suit, claiming Joby concealed ties to China and mislabeled aircraft parts as consumer goods in customs filings.
Separately, Archer sued Vertical Aerospace for patent infringement over its Midnight aircraft design. Vertical called that suit without merit.
Beta's CEO Clark warned that the litigation could drag down the whole sector. Aviation advisory principal Mike Hirschberg echoed that concern, saying ongoing lawsuits will drag out certification timelines and increase costs.
Stock performance reflects the anxiety. Beta shares have lost roughly half their value since its IPO in November. Joby is down over a third this year. Vertical Aerospace has shed 68% of its value.
With US certification still years away, companies are expanding abroad. Joby and Toyota formed a joint venture to mass-produce Joby's four-passenger aircraft, deepening Toyota's roughly $900M commitment to the company.
Joby plans UAE service this year, with a six-year exclusive partnership to operate in Dubai already in place.
Archer is also expanding into Abu Dhabi, where it's partnered with Abu Dhabi Aviation, the region's largest helicopter operator. The emirate's government has backed the sector through financial support, regulatory collaboration, and a stated goal of adding roughly $12B to GDP from autonomous mobility by 2045. Archer has also been named the official air taxi provider of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"This is certainly a long-term play."
Adam Goldstein, Archer Aviation
The technology works well enough to fly organs across state lines and impress crowds in New York City. Getting it certified, manufactured at scale, and kept out of court is an entirely different challenge.
