The U.S. Government Accountability Office has said FAA work on electric propulsion standards is being slowed by internal resource and governance constraints, adding pressure to certify a fast-growing pipeline of electric aircraft and eVTOL programs.
The report says the FAA has not yet finalized complete standards and means of compliance for key areas including batteries, high-voltage systems, thermal management, redundancy and arc-fault protection. Industry feedback cited in the report points to uncertainty, higher development costs and certification delays when standards remain incomplete.
The GAO also highlighted a shortage of FAA staff with electrification expertise and said work on emerging technologies continues to lose priority to other agency programs. It recommended clearer governance, better resource planning and improved communication of the standards roadmap to manufacturers.
AIN reported that the findings come as airports and operators face rising demand for electric aviation infrastructure, including charging and grid upgrades, while manufacturers push for a more stable regulatory framework.