How This State Could Become Electric Aviation Hub

Future Flight Global and Universal Solutions International will lead an effort in Virginia to integrate drones, electric air taxis, and more.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, September 25, 2025 at 01:29 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Future Flight Global, which is building a fleet around Archer Aviation’s Midnight air taxi, will lead the effort alongside Universal Solutions International. [Courtesy: Archer Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Virginia, through a partnership involving the Department of Aviation (DOAV), Future Flight Global (FFG), Universal Solutions International (USI), and other entities, is actively working to establish itself as a central hub for electric aircraft, including VTOL air taxis and autonomous drones.
The collaboration will conduct real-world demonstrations of electric and hybrid-electric aircraft for various applications such as medical and cargo delivery, public safety, and infrastructure inspections.
Data collected from these trials will be used to develop "roadmaps" for advanced air mobility (AAM) corridors, inform future regulations, integrate fleets, and build necessary infrastructure and workforce pipelines, with support from state, regional, and federal partners like the FAA and NASA.

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The Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV) and other state organizations and educational institutions are partnering to cement the state as a hub for electric aircraft, from vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) air taxis to autonomous drones.

Announced Thursday, the collaboration will set the table for electric and hybrid-electric models through a series of real-world demonstrations with “mission-ready” aircraft, Toni Drummond, president and cofounder of Future Flight Global (FFG), told FLYING. FFG, for example, will begin with beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone trials before ramping up to more robust operations.