FDOT and industry outline steps for advanced air mobility; state guidebook and local training planned

Officials from the Florida Department of Transportation and representatives from aircraft and infrastructure firms told the Senate Committee on Transportation that Florida is positioning itself to host early advanced air mobility (AAM) operations and is building guidance and training for local governments.

Kim Holland, assistant secretary for aviation at FDOT, said the department has completed phase one of its implementation plan and published the AAM Land Use and Site Approval Guidebook last September. Holland said the guidebook provides background on AAM, considerations for land use and zoning, and a step‑by‑step process for vertiport site approval at local, state and federal levels. FDOT is planning two types of workshops for local governments in the coming spring: introductory sessions for elected officials and community leaders, and technical workshops for local planners and development professionals.

Industry panelists described the near‑term commercial and technical steps they need and how operators expect the rollout to proceed. Leiden Sleeper (Joby Aviation) said Joby is seeking aircraft type certification from the FAA and described passenger air taxi operations as “moving from point A to B, at what we think can be a cost of Uber, Uber Black, once we're at scale.” Nathan Trail (Supernal) told the committee his company is targeting commercialization by 2028 and called for continued state‑industry‑community coordination. Matthew Land (EVR Mobility/Embraer spin‑out) said manufacturers and operators are urging FDOT to continue funding the planning, permitting and review work that local governments and airports will need, including airport layout plan updates, NEPA reviews and grid assessments.

Private firms on the panel said much of the initial capital for vertiports and charging infrastructure is coming from the private sector. Rolando Tappanis (Atlantic Aviation) said his firm is designing and pursuing entitlements for private vertiport sites in South Florida and that some locations are already under lease for design work. Brett Fay (Tampa International Airport) said airports have identified multiple sites for advanced air mobility and that airports will likely treat early operations as airport leases or FBO arrangements, possibly using competitive processes where interest exceeds available space.

Panelists and FDOT staff highlighted several items that the committee may weigh for follow‑up: (1) continued state support for local government training and permitting guidance; (2) inclusion of AAM‑related infrastructure in airport and transportation grant eligibility; (3) planning funding for airport layout plan updates, environmental reviews and power‑grid assessments; and (4) coordination on community engagement and airspace management. Panelists also noted a pending state bill (SB 266 / HB 199) introduced to exempt the sale or lease of eVTOL aircraft from state sales tax; Supernal and Joby said a sales‑tax exemption would help incentivize early operators.

Committee members and panelists discussed community questions that often arise: property‑rights concerns about flights over private land; noise and safety comparisons with helicopters; how early operations will rely on airport infrastructure; and the need for digital traffic‑management services as operations scale. Holland said the FAA will manage airspace and air traffic guidance, FDOT will provide siting and land‑use guidance, local governments will manage zoning and land‑use compatibility, and airports will manage aviation approvals on airport property. FDOT also said it will release a pilot‑program framework and the local government training toolkit “shortly” to support local decision‑making.

Why it matters: AAM could introduce a new mode of short‑haul passenger and cargo transportation in Florida. Industry and FDOT told the committee that careful, phased planning and community engagement will shape whether pilot operations begin smoothly and whether they scale to broader commercial service.

No committee action or vote occurred on AAM during the hearing; FDOT and industry representatives asked the committee and local governments to continue facilitating coordination and to consider incentives and inclusion of AAM infrastructure in existing grant programs.