US regulators have approved eight pilot programs across 26 states allowing Archer, Joby, and other eVTOL companies to begin testing aircraft this summer. The programs, enabled by the White House's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, cover urban air taxis, regional transport, cargo, emergency medical operations, and autonomous flight tech. Archer and Joby are furthest along, having received FAA final airworthiness criteria. The approval addresses long-standing certification delays, shifting focus from technical hurdles to regulatory synchronization like vertiport development and pilot training frameworks. 2028 is the earliest certification target for Archer.