Airports are constantly evolving to meet new challenges, including safety and sustainability concerns. However, they may soon face one of their biggest challenges yet – the integration of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis, autonomous drones, and other advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft.
Orlando International Airport (KMCO) and Orlando Executive Airport (KORL) in Florida, operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), have set a goal to safely integrate eVTOL operations into their large-hub airport environment. They are working towards standard procedures that will minimize air traffic controller workload and reduce impacts to traditional aviation operations.
Orlando International is one of the first airports in the United States to announce plans for a vertiport, which is expected to be operational by 2028. Vertiports, or electrified takeoff and landing areas, are an essential part of the AAM infrastructure. However, they will also require a significant amount of energy and new traffic management systems to accommodate the influx of uncrewed aircraft.
The Department of Transportation’s Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS) plan aims to prepare airports for the integration of new entrants by replacing outdated equipment, digitizing communications, and constructing new facilities within the next three years.
Real-world trials, such as the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) planned for this summer, will provide further insights for airports on what is needed for successful integration. However, the work has already begun.
In March, GOAA began negotiations with potential developers and operators for a vertiport. Two have been short-listed to move to the second phase, which is expected to begin in early 2026. Contract negotiations and awards may take place by the summer.
On the opposite coast, eVTOL manufacturer Archer Aviation has acquired the lease for Hawthorne Municipal Airport (KHHR), which it plans to use as a hub for a Los Angeles air taxi network during the 2028 Olympics. Hawthorne could be one of the first airports to follow in Orlando’s footsteps.
Dedicated vertiport manufacturers such as Skyports and UrbanV are also pursuing their own projects. Skyports has already begun electrifying its Downtown Heliport in Manhattan, New York, and has announced plans for the first of several vertiports in Florida that will serve Archer’s Midnight.
Other developers, such as Landings, are planning a vertiport network that will connect 12 locations in upstate New York. UrbanV has a joint venture with Signature Aviation to develop a nationwide vertiport network, starting with locations in New York, Florida, California, and Texas. Signature has partnerships with manufacturers such as Archer, Beta Technologies, Boeing’s Wisk Aero, Embraer’s Eve Air Mobility, and Part 135 AAM operator UrbanLink Air Mobility.
Beta Technologies, which also builds chargers, has already activated 54 sites across 24 states certified for commercial operations