FAA Completes First eIPP Remotely Piloted Test Flight, Launches BEYOND Phase 2 to Double Drone Program Participation
Why It MattersThe expansion signals federal momentum toward integrating cargo-focused drone operations and beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights into national airspace ahead of passenger air taxi services.
The Federal Aviation Administration has marked two milestones in advancing air mobility integration: completion of the first remotely piloted aircraft test flight under its eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), and the launch of Phase 2 of the BEYOND drone program, which will double participation in the federal initiative.
The eIPP test flight was conducted by Elroy Air and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development at Houma-Terrebonne Airport, demonstrating the Chaparral system, a hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing platform for cargo delivery to hard-to-reach locations. The eIPP was established under the "Unleashing Drone Dominance" executive order and currently spans eight projects across 26 states, with Louisiana and other participants planning additional test flights this year.
On August 27, 2026, Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced BEYOND Phase 2, under which the FAA will select up to eight additional state, local, tribal, and territorial entities as lead participants, describing it as part of an effort to reduce regulatory barriers and support domestic development of next-generation aviation technology. FAA Administrator Bedford said the agency is building a "safe, scalable" regulatory framework grounded in real-world data, with Phase 2 targeting beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations, public safety missions, on-airport operations, and complex airspace environments. BEYOND builds on the 2017 Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program and BEYOND Phase 1, launched in 2020, with Phase 2 authorized under Section 920 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.
