Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Lifts Off in Electric Air Taxi

Flight in Beta Technologies’ Alia comes as officials ready for more extensive public demonstrations.

Jack Daleo

Monday, June 01, 2026 at 03:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Beta Technologies CEO Kyle Clark (left) stands next to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in front of the company’s Alia, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) design. [Credit: U.S. Department of Transportation]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made history as the first to fly an eVTOL aircraft (Beta Technologies' Alia), signaling a strong government endorsement for its potential to revolutionize transport.
The DOT is launching the FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) across 26 states to test diverse applications like urban air taxis, cargo, and medical deliveries using real airports and air traffic control.
Beta Technologies is a central participant in the eIPP, with its electric Alia and CX300 aircraft being evaluated by various partners for passenger and cargo operations, highlighting their efficiency and lower operating costs.

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“This is not the Jetsons,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a new video capturing his flight on Beta Technologies’ Alia eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft. “This is actual real life.”

Duffy on Friday became the first transportation secretary to fly in an eVTOL aircraft, the Transportation Department said Monday. Duffy called the sortie a “historic flight into the future” and said eVTOL models will “fundamentally change the way people and products move.”