The Florida Department of Transportation plans to have air travel operating along the Interstate 4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando by late 2026, agency officials announced.

FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue declared that advanced air mobility is now officially a mode of transportation in the state, with the agency working to establish what it calls the first aerial highway network in the United States connecting metropolitan areas.

The testing and development of these electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, or eVTOLs, is taking place at FDOT’s SunTrax facility in Auburndale, Polk County. Construction on the first vertiport at the campus was completed, with a second one now under construction to create an aerial test track.

The agency forecasts between 220,000 and 1.4 million trips during the first year, with that figure expected to grow to between 11.2 million and 18.7 million trips by 2050.

The vehicles are designed for short-range travel, typically 60 miles or less between urban centers, and would operate similarly to ride-hailing services. Multiple companies are planned to offer services, with vendors having authority to set rates, allowing passengers to compare prices. Specific pricing has not yet been announced.

FDOT’s stated goal is to be the first profitable commercial service in the country. The program requires federal approval and coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration before commercial operations can begin.

Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation in June that establishes FDOT’s plans for advanced air mobility and provides funding for vertiport construction.

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