The U.S. Department of Transportation rolled out its highly anticipated advanced air mobility integration program on March 9, announcing the selection of eight projects that will include trials with several new aircraft developers. Unveiled in June as part of the “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” executive order, the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program is intended to set the foundation for the safe operation of new aircraft in the National Airspace System. 

Archer Aviation has accused rival Joby Aviation of misleading the U.S. government, investors, and the public over alleged reliance on Chinese manufacturing for its eVTOL aircraft. In a counterfiling against Joby’s lawsuit accusing Archer of industrial espionage, Archer on March 9 alleged that Joby has fraudulently misclassified Chinese-origin aircraft parts.

At the Verticon show in Atlanta this week, Robinson Helicopter president and CEO David Smith unveiled Robinson Unmanned, the company’s new business unit that includes its Ascent drones and uncrewed versions of the R44 and R66 rotorcraft. The new unit’s president is Ascent AeroSystems president Paul Fermo.

The FAA has approved Green Taxi Aerospace’s certification plans for its “Zero Engine Taxi” system. In a March 3 announcement, the Texas-based start-up said the aviation safety agency had reviewed and accepted the compliance checklist summary and conformity plan drafted and submitted by StandardAero, Green Taxi’s certification partner.

Aura Aero has signed its first firm order for its in-development hybrid-electric regional aircraft, ERA, building on more than 650 pre-orders from 16 operators. Launch customer Pan Européenne Air Service said it hopes to be one of the first to operate a commercial service using hybrid propulsion in a March 2 announcement that did not specify how many of the 19-seaters it is buying.

Airbus Helicopters has revealed two advanced rotorcraft designs it is pursuing for the ongoing NATO Next Generation Rotorcraft Capabilities initiative, complementing proposals being drawn up by rival OEMs Leonardo Helicopters and Sikorsky under the program’s Study 5 phase. Each company may present up to two solutions for evaluation before a draft request for proposal, planned for this May, is issued.

SkyDrive and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau have concluded an agreement for the SD-05 eVTOL aircraft’s general certification plan. This week at the Verticon trade show U.S. company Aeroauto signed a letter of intent to buy eight of the three-seat aircraft.

Ascendance’s prototype Atea hybrid-electric VTOL demonstrator has entered its final assembly phase at the company's facility in Toulouse. In July 2025, the French startup said it expected to complete the build of the full-scale aircraft by early 2026.