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FAA Completes First Remote Piloted Elroy Air eVTOL Test

9/7/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The U.S. FAA tested Elroy Air’s Chaparral cargo aircraft at Houma-Terrebonne Airport in Louisiana.
It was the first remotely piloted eVTOL test in the FAA’s eIPP program.
Chaparral can lift over 500 pounds and travel up to 450 miles on a charge.
Elroy Air completed a week-long autonomous series with no onboard pilot under ATC oversight.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the data will help shift concepts toward deployment.

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Story summary

The U.S. FAA tested Elroy Air’s Chaparral cargo aircraft at Houma-Terrebonne Airport in Louisiana.
It was the first remotely piloted eVTOL test in the FAA’s eIPP program.
Chaparral can lift over 500 pounds and travel up to 450 miles on a charge.
Elroy Air completed a week-long autonomous series with no onboard pilot under ATC oversight.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the data will help shift concepts toward deployment.