Vertical Aerospace said last week that it is exploring a network of regional electric aircraft operations in South Florida centered on its Valo eVTOL. The network would include potential routes linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and other regional hubs. The piloted, four-passenger aircraft is being developed for trips of about 100 miles at speeds up to 150 mph, with a hybrid-electric variant under development for longer missions.
“I am thrilled about Vertical Aerospace’s plans to make Miami-Dade County one of the first areas in the country with advanced air mobility,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said.
The company’s South Florida planning follows recent federal action to formally position advanced air mobility as a future transportation mode in U.S. cities and regions. A national strategy document released in December outlines a coordinated federal effort to accelerate development and deployment of these operations over the next decade, including demonstrations and initial services expected later this decade.
A companion federal implementation plan calls for phased work beginning with near-term operations under existing aviation frameworks, followed by research, policy development and larger-scale deployment supported by coordination among federal, state and local agencies and industry partners.
Miami-Dade began planning for AAM integration several years ago. The county formed an Urban Air Mobility Working Group in 2021 that began evaluating infrastructure, airspace and regulatory considerations for future operations. That work lead to a 2023 strategic roadmap that outlined how vertiports, charging infrastructure and low-altitude operations could fit into existing transportation planning in the area. The strategic roadmap also identified the need for zoning, land-use planning, safety measures and community engagement. The document placed AAM within long-range regional mobility planning and called for coordination among federal, state and local partners as technologies and policies evolve.
Vertical said it is working with infrastructure and operating partners on early planning for future service in the Miami-Dade region, including a joint venture between UrbanV and Signature Aviation, along with Skyports Infrastructure and Vertiports by Atlantic Aviation. The company said its aircraft will also be shown publicly at the Bass Museum in Collins Park on Feb. 24-25 during an iConnections event in Miami Beach.
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