The US Federal Aviation Administration released updated draft design standards for vertical flight infrastructure on 22 October 2026. The guidance is aimed at airport and heliport owners, operators and developers building facilities for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, including the electric air taxis known as eVTOLs.
What the draft covers
The standards combine earlier guidance for heliports and vertiports and address:
- the core layout, including touchdown and lift-off areas, final approach areas, safety areas and approach surfaces;
- lighting, markings and visual aids such as glideslope indicators;
- fuelling and electric charging systems for aircraft fleets;
- integrating vertical flight facilities at existing airports without disrupting current operations; and
- design rules for touchdown areas on rooftops and other elevated structures.
The FAA says it will gather industry and public feedback before publishing final standards in summer 2027. Data from its eVTOL Integration Pilot Program will feed into future revisions. The agency linked the work to the President's executive order on drone dominance.
Why it matters
Infrastructure has been one of the less visible obstacles for advanced air mobility. Aircraft makers can certify their vehicles, but without settled design standards, property owners, airports and investors have been uncertain what a compliant landing site must include, especially on rooftops and where high-power charging is needed. A single draft gives developers a basis for early designs, although they risk changes before the final version next year.
Why it matters financially
Vertiports need substantial capital for land, structures and high-power charging. Clear design standards reduce the risk of building something that later fails to comply, which should make projects easier to finance. The FAA has not published cost estimates; the key date for investors is the final version in summer 2027.