You may see more small aircraft known as "air taxis" in the North Carolina skies this year.
The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) says North Carolina is one of 26 states to be part of the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program.
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eVOTLs are small aircraft that lift-off and touch-down vertically like a helicopter, but look and function like a small airplane.
President Trump's Unleashing Drone Dominance Executive Order tasked with FAA with testing usage of eVTOLs and other emerging aircrafts across the United States. Data from the pilot program will develop new regulations so that the technology can be used nationwide in the National Airspace System.
"These aircraft really will be game-changing," said FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau. "What we see here is the opportunity to take these aircraft and put them into more real-world situations. We can always prove that these are one-offs and they can fly in the desert somewhere, but what we're really looking to do, with state and local officials, is help build out an ecosystem so that we can produce a framework that will be nationally applied with respect to safely using these."
Eight projects span 26 states, including urban air taxis services and cargo logistics networks.
In North Carolina, the FAA says the North Carolina Department of Transportation will partner with BETA, an electric aircraft maker, and JOBY, an air tax program, to test the smaller aircraft in medical scenarios.
Rocheleau said North Carolina's robust medical network plays a role in the state's involvement in the program.
"We worked with North Carolina for years now on drone deliveries and that has been, really, a game-changer for the state," Rocheleau said. "I anticipate advanced air mobility along the same lines, where we'll see the ability to move passengers, emergency medical equipment, and supplies."
The FAA said North Carolina will also test the aircraft on autonomous flights to Virginia.
The pilot program is expected to start this year and continue for at least the next three years.
The announcement was made by the FAA earlier this week.
NCDOT told WRAL it would release details on its involvement with the pilot program soon.