LIFT Act of 2025

This bill pushes the United States to safely speed up advanced drone flights and electric air taxis. It tells the Department of Transportation to move fast on rules that allow routine “Beyond Visual Line of Sight” (BVLOS) drone operations, with a proposal due in 30 days and a final rule in six months, plus new safety metrics and recommendations to clear any roadblocks. It also tells the agency to study how U.S.-controlled airspace over the high seas could allow drone operations without applying rules meant for piloted international flights, and to report back with any needed law changes.

To reduce delays, the bill directs the FAA to start using artificial intelligence to help review drone waiver requests, find similar past cases, suggest consistent safety steps, and spot categories that may no longer need case‑by‑case waivers, following federal AI guidance; it also asks if AI could help review certain exemption requests. The bill creates a pilot grant program so States, localities, Tribes, and territories can launch electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) projects, with a call for proposals within 90 days, selections within 180 days, and a focus on U.S.-based technology and real uses like advanced air mobility, medical response, cargo, and rural access. It requires agreements, data sharing, regular reports, and ends grants three years after the first pilot goes live unless extended in the national interest. Finally, it tells the Department of Transportation to prioritize integrating U.S.-made drones into the national airspace when possible under law.

Key points

• Who is affected: State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments; the FAA and DOT; private partners with eVTOL experience; communities needing medical response, cargo transport, and rural access.
• What changes: Faster BVLOS rulemaking and safety metrics; AI-assisted FAA waiver reviews; new eVTOL pilot grants; study of high‑seas drone rules; preference for U.S.-made drones in integration efforts .
• When: BVLOS proposal in 30 days, final in 6 months; safety metrics in 30 days; barrier recommendations in 180 days; AI waiver tools started within 120 days; eVTOL RFP in 90 days, selections in 180 days; pilot grants sunset 3 years after the first project goes operational unless extended .