Advanced Air Mobility Modern Flying

Utah Begins Real-World Hybrid-Electric Aircraft Demonstrations

Mission marks ‘first of several’ planned flights at state’s airports.

Friday, August 07, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ampaire’s hybrid-electric EEL conducts a demonstration flight over Salt Lake City. [Credit: Ampaire]

Key Takeaways:

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has initiated "uFLY," a real-world demonstration program for hybrid-electric aircraft, beginning with Ampaire's EEL testbed flight from Salt Lake City to Cedar City.
This program is part of the FAA's broader three-year eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), designed to collect operational data from precertified electric, hybrid, and autonomous aircraft to inform future regulatory standards.
"uFLY" will explore the practical applications of advanced air mobility, including cargo delivery, emergency response, and passenger transport across diverse terrains in Utah and partner states, involving over 30 public and private partners.
The FAA plans to utilize the insights gained from these demonstrations to identify gaps, improve procedures, and safely integrate advanced air mobility into the National Airspace System.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has launched real-world demonstrations with a hybrid-electric aircraft, which Thursday morning flew close to 250 miles from Salt Lake City to Cedar City.

Utah residents who missed the landmark flight need not worry. UDOT said it was the “first of several” hybrid-electric demonstrations to come over the next three years under a new FAA program.

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.