From Demos to Ops: eVTOLs Under National Rules

Advanced Air Mobility operations in 2022 proposed that eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircrafts initially fly in designated aerial corridors to test regional routes.
Credit: NASA/Kyle Jenkins

What’s certified, what’s pending, and where flights start first

Electric vertical take-off and landing aircrafts (eVTOLs) are leaving the prototype bubble and entering the rulebook. Since NASA’s 2022 “tabletop” exercises to imagine safe air-taxi operations, the agency has progressed to full-scale crashworthiness drop tests and ride-quality research to hand regulators and manufacturers data they can actually certify and operate against. That shift—from concepts to test evidence—now underpins a clearer path to first services in multiple regions.

Where the US stands

The US has put core pieces in place. In October 2024 the FAA finalised the powered-lift pilot and operations rule (a 10-year Special Federal Aviation Regulation) covering training, operating rules and how these aircraft fit into Parts 91/135/136—crucial for commercial services. The FAA’s dedicated FAQ lays out what operators and pilots must do, while AC 194-2 details training guidance. For type certification, AC 21.17-4 provides a playbook for certifying powered-lift as “special class” under Section 21.17, paragraph (b). On the ground, Engineering Brief 105A gives vertiport design guidance for TLOF/FATO/safety areas—what cities and airports need to build with confidence. Together, these steps move the US from ad-hoc exemptions to a stable, scalable framework.

Use cases likely to launch first: city–airport shuttles under Part 135-style operations, premium commuter corridors, organ transport and public-safety sorties—missions where time saved justifies early pricing and where existing helicopter rules offer an operational analogue. NASA’s AAM scope explicitly targets low-altitude passenger transport, cargo delivery and public-service capabilities, which dovetails with these initial markets.

Europe: SC-VTOL plus environmental and vertiport specs

Europe’s path runs through the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) SC-VTOL, which defines special conditions for VTOL airworthiness. EASA has iterated Means of Compliance (most recently MOC-5 in July 2025), published Environmental Protection Technical Specifications (EPTS) for VTOL noise/emissions in 2024, and issued the world’s first prototype vertiport design specifications to guide cities and operators. The practical effect is a maturing, harmonised rule set for both aircraft and infrastructure that European projects can certify against.

Use cases: airport transfers in congested metros, tourism shuttles, and emergency services, with noise-bounded corridors shaped by EPTS. Expect piloted services first, given today’s regulatory emphasis, with autonomy staged in later via additional approvals.

United Kingdom: adopting SC-VTOL and publishing a roadmap

The UK CAA has formally adopted EASA’s SC-VTOL and associated MoCs for type certification, while releasing a 2025 Advanced Air Mobility Type-Certification Roadmap to streamline processes and align with partners. Complementing this, the CAA published eVTOL safety insights highlighting 50+ priority areas (from energy reserves to human factors) to steer policy and industry testing. The take-away: the UK is aligning technically with Europe but adding its own programme discipline and transparency.

Use cases: point-to-point city pairs and medical logistics (NHS organ transfers) are realistic first movers, given established helicopter precedents and the CAA’s focus on structured hazard reduction.

Dubai / UAE: corridors and a named launch partner

The UAE is building from the airspace down. In early 2025 the authority began mapping air corridors to integrate piloted and autonomous air taxis and drones, aiming at a 2026 start. Dubai has gone further, granting Joby a six-year exclusive operating agreement and receiving its first aircraft for local testing ahead of service launch. This pairing of corridors and a specific operator gives Dubai a credible route to early commercial flights.

Use cases: premium city shuttles (e.g., DXB ↔ business districts / Palm), tourism circuits, and time-critical movements between hubs—missions with clear willingness to pay and straightforward vertiport siting.

China: the first certified pilotless passenger services

China is now the first jurisdiction with a full certification stack for pilotless, human-carrying eVTOL. EHang’s EH216-S secured Type Certification (Oct 2023), then a standard Airworthiness Certificate (Dec 2023) and a Production Certificate (Apr 2024) from the CAAC. Crucially, in March 2025 the CAAC issued the first Air Operator Certificates for pilotless passenger services to EHang operators—authorising real, revenue-generating flights (initially tourism/sightseeing). In cargo, AutoFlight’s CarryAll became the first ton-class eVTOL to receive a Type Certificate (Mar 2024), later followed by production approvals and deliveries. This “TC → AC → PC → AOC” progression makes China the living laboratory for operational models that other regulators can study.

Use cases: short scenic routes, campus/zone shuttles and cargo feeder missions—lower complexity and controlled environments that build public acceptance and operational data before city-wide taxi networks.

What NASA is handing regulators and OEMs

NASA’s role is to reduce uncertainty with data. The full-scale drop test at Langley (June 2025) probes crash loads and energy-absorbing structures for certification; the VR ride-quality studies quantify motion envelopes that minimise discomfort during hover/transition; and ongoing flight-controls research on scaled vehicles explores control laws for low-speed flight. These are not PR exercises—they are inputs to certification basis, ops manuals and passenger-acceptance thresholds.

The business lens: initial use cases where revenue starts

• Air taxis: City–airport and high-value intra-city corridors where a 10–20-minute ride replaces a 60–90-minute drive. Early US operations fit neatly into Part 135-like frameworks enabled by the powered-lift SFAR and ACs.

• Air ambulances & public safety: Medevac and organ transport leverage existing dispatch models and public procurement, with noise constraints addressed by EASA’s EPTS in Europe.

• Cargo & logistics: Express parts and medical payloads in cities; China’s certified ton-class CarryAll shows the logistics path to scale.

Risks and realism

Certification is progressing, but infrastructure remains pacing: vertiports must align with FAA EB 105A in the US and EASA’s prototype specs in Europe; airspace integration needs corridor design and UTM tie-ins; and public acceptance hinges on noise and safety data. Expect piloted services first in US/UK/EU/UAE, with pilotless passenger flights emerging where regulators build confidence through staged AOCs—as China has. The pragmatic 2026–2030 outlook is a few launch cities with tightly scoped routes, then network growth as standards, insurance and community acceptance mature.

Bottom line

eVTOLs are no longer waiting on “future rules.” The US has codified pilot and ops requirements and set out guidance for certification and vertiports; Europe has SC-VTOL, EPTS and vertiport specs; the UK has adopted SC-VTOL and published a roadmap with safety priorities; Dubai pairs air corridors with a named operator and near-term start; and China is already granting AOCs for pilotless services. Against that fabric, NASA’s test data gives everyone—regulators, OEMs, operators—a common yardstick. First flights will be focused and premium-priced, but they’ll be real.