In a big step toward bringing electric air taxis to market in this country, the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration selected the Florida Department of Transportation to participate in the White House’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, along with the DOT’s counterparts in Texas and New York. Archer Aviation, one of the eVTOL developers eyeing Miami as one of its inaugural markets, welcomed the news.
“This is the clearest sign yet from the White House, the FAA and the DOT that bringing air taxis to market in the United States is a real priority,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer, in a statement.
This would be the first new category of aircraft in nearly 80 years to hit the market.
Archer said it will now work with the federal departments to prepare for flights of its Midnight aircraft under the pilot program, including standing up local operating teams, infrastructure and safety procedures. Archer is “excited to bring Midnight to the skies of some of America’s largest cities,” Goldstein said of the company, named after Archer Road near the University of Florida, where the co-founders began conceiving of the concept.
Midnight [pictured above], Archer’s piloted eVTOL (electric vehicle takeoff and landing) air taxi, can carry up to four passengers while producing less noise and emissions than a traditional helicopter, and Refresh Miami got a first look at it in December. According to Archer, Midnight’s redundant systems, such as 12 total engines and propellers, will allow Archer be as safe as commercial airliners. Archer’s goal is to enable passengers to replace 60-90 minute trips on the ground with 15-30 minute all electric flights, at a comparable price to Uber Black service.
In December, Archer revealed its plans for a South Florida-based air taxi network. The publicly traded San Jose, CA-based company, which also developed and builds the aircraft, has been on a mission since its founding in 2018 to transform how residents and visitors move across the nation’s most congested, traffic-clogged regions – yes, like Miami.
The South Florida network would serve and connect Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and Palm Beach International Airport, as well as several general aviation airports. A group of local partners have joined Archer to ready existing helipad infrastructure, and in other cases, stand up new-build vertiports. These partners include Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens and Apogee Golf Club in Martin County, as well as Related Ross, which wants a vertiport hub within its West Palm Beach downtown development, and Dragon Global’s Magic City Innovation District in Miami’s Little Haiti.
Of course, Archer is not the only eVTOL company eyeing the Miami market. Wisk Aero has announced it is planning to bring all-electric air taxi service to Miami, and is working with the Miami-Dade Aviation Department and the University of Miami’s Engineering Autonomy Mobility Initiative to establish a eVTOL infrastructure. It’s among a handful of companies that have announced Miami will be one of their initial launch sites, including Miami-based UrbanLink and Eve Mobility and California-based Joby Aviation. Timelines vary, but most of the players say they are hoping to launch in or around 2028. In Miami, all-electric seaplanes and eVTOL cargo service are also in the mix of potential offerings.
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I am a writer and editor with extensive media experience and a passion for journalism and serving the community. Most of my career has been spent with the Miami Herald in business news, and my expertise is writing about tech and entrepreneurs. I love hosting this blog for Refresh Miami and we aim to be the go-to site for South Florida startup and tech news, features and views. Have news? Contact me at [email protected]. Thanks for reading! Latest posts by Nancy Dahlberg (see all)