Flying cars and supersonic flights? Trump turns on boosters for new-age tech
President Donald Trump's newest executive orders aim to speed development of aviation tech, including high-speed flights and flying cars.
WASHINGTON − Flying cars. Drone deliveries. Supersonic flights.
President Donald Trump aims to speed commercial development of new-age aviation tech by reducing regulations the administration says have hindered testing and production.
"This year, flying cars are not just for the Jetsons. They are also for the American people in the near term," Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told reporters.
Trump directed the Federal Aviation Administration in an executive order to expedite approval for routine commercial drone operations that retailers such as Amazon have said are crucial to expanding airborne deliveries.
Orders Trump signed June 6 also will allow manufacturers to begin testing flying cars and removed regulatory barriers his administration says are preventing supersonic overland passenger flights from being introduced in the United States.
The changes also will allow drones to be used in emergency response, including responding to wildfires, and long-distance cargo and medical delivery, the administration says.
Trump's order establishes a pilot program for electrical vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, known as eVTOLs, a type of flying car, his administration hopes will lead to public-private partnerships across the country. It is based on a 2017 program from the first Trump administration and will apply to emergency medical services, air taxis and cargo deliveries, among other areas.
The administration says the program will allow companies that are already conducting this type of testing, such as Joby's air taxi service, to partner with state, local and tribal governments. The California-based company plans to begin flight testing in Dubai within months and aims to launch passenger services on the aircraft in late 2025 or early 2026.
Another order instructs the FAA to establish a standard for noise certification and lift a ban on overland supersonic flight.
Kratsios said advances in aerospace engineering and noise reduction have made overland supersonic flight safe, sustainable and commercially viable, but federal regulations have grounded the speedy passenger flights and weakened U.S. companies' competitiveness.
"The reality is that Americans should be able to fly from New York to LA in under four hours," Kratsios said.
Trump separately established a federal task force to review and propose solutions to threats to America's airspace from personal unmanned aircraft and directed his administration to step up enforcement of civil and criminal laws against drone operators who endanger the public or violate airspace restrictions.
The directives were issued with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics on the horizon.