Advanced Air Mobility News

FAA: No Timeframe for eVTOL Certification

FAA: No Timeframe for eVTOL Certification

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the United States’ largest transportation agency, has no specific timeframe for certificating eVTOL aircraft as it will prioritize safety and align with the strict standards in place. 

Jessica Orquina, the Manager of the Implementation Branch for the FAA’s Safety & Integration Division in the UAS Integration Office, insisted that eliminating potential risks will always take precedence over speed in the certification process. 

She made the remark while moderating a panel discussion hosted by the FAA and Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). Those included on the panel were Pulkit Agrawal, Principal Certification Engineer (UAS/UAM) at Honeywell, and Amit Ganjoo, founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies. 

“We use the same data-driven approach when evaluating these complex systems that have created the safest aviation system in the world,” Orquina said. “The FAA is taking a risk-based approach to certifying AAM aircraft and does not have a set timeframe. Safety drives the process and the timeframe.”

She added the FAA is committed to integrating advanced air mobility (AAM) into everyday life, but stressed that it must align with the strict safety standards in place. 

“At FAA, we have a long history of safely bringing new technologies into aviation. We are committed to safely integrating AAM as well as drones into our aviation system in line with our safety standards,” she said. 

Orquina added she is excited about the impending emergence of an AAM ecosystem, which will be “enabled through innovative technology.”


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