eVTOL / Advanced Air Mobility

Where it stands

Each step compares the last four complete quarters with the two years before. A theme usually moves left to right: companies push, Congress and the White House act, the government buys, and markets respond.

1. 1. Companies pushing
   Steady

   34 companies and groups lobbied on it in Q2 2026, against 32 a year earlier.

2. 2. Congress
   Quiet

   0 bills introduced and 0 became law in the last four quarters, against 0 and 0 a year before that.

3. 3. White House and agencies
   Falling

   0 proposed rules, 0 final rules and 0 presidential actions in the last four quarters, against 5 a year before that.

4. 4. Government buying
   Steady

   5 purchase plans and award notices in the last four quarters, against 5 a year before that (records start October 2023).

5. 5. Markets
   Falling

   1 insider purchase in the theme's companies in the last four quarters, against 2 a year before that. Their stocks: -55% over the same year, against +14% for the S&P 500. Among the 50 largest holdings of the funds we track, these stocks were worth $360.5M at the end of Q1 2026, against $384.0M a year earlier; the figure moves with prices and with how many funds rank them that high.

The setup

The US government is beginning to lay the groundwork for the integration of novel aviation technologies, such as eVTOL aircraft, into the national airspace. This effort is currently driven by legislative action aimed at updating the FAA's certification processes. While no funding has been appropriated, the focus is on policy changes to enable future adoption.

How this developed

1. Feb 12, 2026Sen. Welch introduces S3885, the Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act, to update FAA certification for novel aviation technologies.Bill

The full story, year by year

* Year to date. Lobbying is the most companies and groups naming the theme in any one quarter. Insider buys are officer and director open-market purchases in JOBY, ACHR. Fund holdings are the value of these companies among the top 50 positions of the funds whose 13F filings we track, at the latest quarter of each year. Stock returns are an equal-weight basket of the same companies with prices on file, split-adjusted, without dividends, against the S&P 500 over the same quarters.

• Lobbying before 2025 is still loading for this theme, so earlier years undercount.
• Lobbying reports for Q3 2026 are still being filed, so the comparison uses Q2 2026.

Why it matters

• S3885, though early-stage, signals a legislative intent to modernize FAA regulations, which is a critical prerequisite for the widespread deployment and commercialization of eVTOL and other advanced air mobility aircraft.
• The bill's focus on certification reform addresses a key bottleneck for novel aviation technologies, indicating that the government recognizes the need for a clear regulatory pathway before significant investment or operational scale can be achieved.

Companies exposed to this theme

The record · 1 items, oldest first

• Feb 12, 2026BillAviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act

Some keyword matches were judged unrelated to this theme and are excluded from the record above.

How this story evolved

• Oct 16, 2026, 5:12 AM ETnoise5 recordslatest record Oct 13, 2026

  Early-stage bill and two patents show general interest in eVTOL, but no concrete US government action.

  The evidence presents a nascent interest in eVTOL technology, primarily through a legislative proposal and two patent filings. However, there is no indication of direct US government funding, procurement, or a coordinated strategic initiative. The activity remains at a very early, conceptual stage.

• Oct 15, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal11 recordslatest record Oct 13, 2026

  FAA establishes Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies and funds vertiport support, while Air Force invests in eVTOL power electronics.

  The US government is actively building out the infrastructure and regulatory framework for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. This effort is primarily driven by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Defense (DoD), with NASA contributing to manufacturing process development. The FAA is focusing on training, research, and ground infrastructure, while the Air Force is investing in core eVTOL technologies.

• Oct 14, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal4 recordslatest record Oct 13, 2026

  FAA funds vertiport infrastructure planning as NASA invests in electric aircraft testbeds.

  The US government is actively laying the groundwork for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) by funding critical infrastructure and research. The Department of Transportation's FAA is investing in vertiport support, while NASA is advancing electric aircraft testbed configurations. This dual approach indicates a coordinated effort to enable future eVTOL operations.

• Oct 13, 2026, 5:12 AM ETreal4 recordslatest record Oct 13, 2026

  FAA funds vertiport support, NASA invests in electric aircraft testing, and Congress considers certification reform for novel aviation.

  The US government is actively laying groundwork for advanced air mobility, with the FAA funding vertiport infrastructure planning and NASA investing in electric aircraft testbeds. This activity is complemented by legislative efforts to streamline certification processes for novel aviation technologies. The focus is on enabling future operations rather than direct procurement of aircraft.

• Oct 12, 2026, 5:12 AM ETreal4 recordslatest record Sep 29, 2026

  FAA and NASA fund vertiport infrastructure and electric aircraft testing, while Congress considers certification reform.

  The US government is actively investing in the foundational infrastructure and testing capabilities required for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. This effort is spearheaded by the FAA's focus on vertiport development and NASA's commitment to electric aircraft testbeds. Concurrently, legislative efforts are underway to streamline the certification processes for these novel aviation technologies.

• Oct 11, 2026, 5:13 AM ETreal10 recordslatest record Sep 29, 2026

  FAA establishes Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies and funds vertiport infrastructure, while NASA invests in electric aircraft testbeds.

  The US government is actively laying the groundwork for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, driven primarily by the FAA and NASA. This initiative includes establishing dedicated research centers, developing training programs for new aircraft types, and investing in critical infrastructure like vertiports. The earliest signals emerged in late 2024 with the FAA seeking industry input for pilot training, indicating a proactive approach to integrating these technologies.

• Oct 10, 2026, 5:12 AM ETreal4 recordslatest record Sep 29, 2026

  FAA and NASA fund vertiport infrastructure and electric aircraft testing, while Congress considers certification reform.

  The US government is actively investing in the foundational infrastructure and testing capabilities required for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. This effort is spearheaded by the FAA's focus on vertiport development and NASA's commitment to electric aircraft testbeds. Concurrently, legislative efforts are underway to streamline the certification processes for these novel aviation technologies.

• Oct 9, 2026, 5:12 AM ETreal10 recordslatest record Sep 29, 2026

  FAA establishes Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies and funds vertiport infrastructure, while NASA invests in electric aircraft testbeds.

  The US government is actively laying the groundwork for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, driven primarily by the FAA and NASA. This initiative includes establishing dedicated research centers, developing training programs for new aircraft types, and investing in critical infrastructure like vertiports. The earliest signals emerged in late 2024 with the FAA seeking industry input for pilot training, indicating a proactive approach to integrating these technologies.

• Oct 8, 2026, 5:12 AM ETreal10 recordslatest record Sep 29, 2026

  FAA establishes Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies and funds vertiport infrastructure, while NASA invests in electric aircraft testbeds.

  The US government is actively laying the groundwork for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, driven primarily by the FAA and NASA. This initiative includes establishing dedicated research centers, developing training programs for new aircraft types, and investing in critical infrastructure like vertiports. The earliest signals emerged in late 2024 with the FAA seeking industry input for pilot training, indicating a proactive approach to integrating these technologies.

• Oct 7, 2026, 5:12 AM ETreal10 recordslatest record Sep 29, 2026

  FAA establishes Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies and funds vertiport infrastructure, while NASA invests in electric aircraft testbeds.

  The US government is actively laying the groundwork for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, driven primarily by the FAA and NASA. This initiative includes establishing dedicated research centers, developing training programs for new aircraft types, and investing in critical infrastructure like vertiports. The earliest signals emerged in late 2024 with the FAA seeking industry input for pilot training, indicating a proactive approach to integrating these technologies.

• Oct 6, 2026, 5:12 AM ETreal27 recordslatest record Sep 30, 2026

  FAA expands BEYOND program for uncrewed aircraft, while DoD seeks support for MH-139A and VH-92A helicopters.

  The US government is actively advancing Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and eVTOL technologies through a combination of legislative efforts, research and development contracts, and market research for military applications. The FAA is expanding its BEYOND program to integrate uncrewed aircraft systems, while the Department of Defense is exploring upgrades and support for its helicopter fleets, indicating a dual-track approach to novel aviation. This activity began with legislative proposals for certification updates and has since broadened to include specific procurement and R&D initiatives.

• Oct 5, 2026, 5:12 AM ETreal5 recordslatest record Sep 29, 2026

  FAA and NASA accelerate eVTOL infrastructure and testing, with initial pilot training and vertiport contracts.

  The US government is actively laying the groundwork for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) through a combination of regulatory preparation, infrastructure development, and pilot training initiatives. This effort, spearheaded by the FAA and NASA, began with legislative proposals for certification updates and has quickly moved into concrete contracts for testing and operational support. The focus is on enabling the safe integration of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft into national airspace.