ORLANDO, Fla. — As air taxis get ready to take off in Florida, preparations are underway to make sure it goes smoothly. Air taxis, known as advanced air mobility, require a lot of teamwork between the federal government, state and local governments and private companies.
These air taxis would take off and land at places called vertiports. Right now, there is a feasibility study in Orange County to determine where vertiports could potentially go.
“Interesting, first of all, very interesting,” said Orlando resident Anthony Montgomery. “You know Orlando is getting extremely crowded, so I think it would benefit.”
He thinks that electric vertical take-off and landing, known as e-VTOLs are the future.
About four to six people could fit inside and travel to regional destinations within a range of about 150 to 200 miles.
“It would be a lot quicker, but depends on the pricing though,” said Orlando resident Aaron Davis.
The companies will set the flight path, schedule and price, but the local governments will determine where the infrastructure could be built.
“The time is now to really consider how these things can work together and how our agencies can work together to make sure this is an opportunity for Central Florida and not a concern,“ said Alissa Barber Torres, the Chief Innovation & Emerging Technology Officer for Orange County.
The feasibility study revealed 650 parcels of land in unincorporated Orange County could allow for vertiports and more than 4,000 other parcels could qualify as a special exception. But all applicants would still have to go through the same process as any other development.
Officials say near the Sand Lake Road SunRail stop is one location being considered because the zoning allows for it and it’s right near another form of transportation.
Orange County is not promoting advanced air mobility, but the state is part of a national pilot program.
“Orange County has not anticipated or committed any public funds of any type to advanced air mobility other than to study efforts to try to anticipate and appropriately respond to the private sector’s interest in this new form of transportation,” Barber Torres said.
Florida lawmakers have passed new legislation to use state and federal funds to get this new transportation off the ground.
“Losing state or federal funding for our actual mass transit is a huge concern, as they prioritize modes of travel such as this that benefit those who can afford to utilize them,” said Eric Grimmer, the chair of the Transportation Mobility Advisory Commission.
There is a long way to go in regulations, safety and other impacts. But Orange County wants to get ahead, as they know eyes in the private sector are looking to Central Florida to provide another way to transport tourists.
The state is expected to start test flights this year although there is not an exact timeline. The first vertiport will probably be at the Orlando International Airport sometime around 2028. Then, it could expand and other vertiports being built across Central Florida.