Governor DeSantis unveils FLYING CARS like in Back to the Future. They are finally here!
Governor DeSantis unveils FLYING CARS like in Back to the Future.
They are finally here! pic.twitter.com/DB6bMeQVKB
— Chris Nelson 🏝️🇺🇸 (@ReOpenChris) August 10, 2026
On Monday at the SunTrax testing facility in Auburndale, Governor Ron DeSantis stood next to actual electric aircraft, the theme from The Jetsons playing, and made it official: by the end of 2026, Florida will be actively testing eVTOL “flying cars” across the Central Florida aerospace region. Not another PowerPoint. Not another five-year study. Real machines lifting off, flying, and landing on the nation’s first dedicated advanced air mobility aerial test track.
These aren’t science-fiction props. They’re electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft — quiet, battery-powered machines that rise straight up like a helicopter, transition to forward flight like a plane, and drop back down onto a vertiport the size of a tennis court. No mile-long runway required. DeSantis put it plainly: “These things are going to be lifting off. They don’t need a runway. They’re going to lift off, and they’re going to fly, and they’re going to land.”
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue didn’t hold back either. “We’re at the age of flying cars,” he said. “What you saw in the Jetsons is becoming a reality.” The immediate target is the chronically clogged I-4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando — an “Uber taxi in the air” that could turn a grinding hour-plus drive into a 20-minute hop. Cargo, medical runs, and emergency response are also on the menu.
NOW: Florida transportation officials say the state is preparing to enter a “new era” as flying cars are expected to begin testing in Florida’s airspace by the end of the year.
NOW: Florida transportation officials say the state is preparing to enter a “new era” as flying cars are expected to begin testing in Florida’s airspace by the end of the year.@FDOT_Secretary: “What you saw in the Jetsons is becoming a reality.” pic.twitter.com/GL7UEdUayQ
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 10, 2026
SunTrax already has two vertiports up and running. The FAA selected Florida as a partner in its advanced air mobility pilot program, and the state has spent the last year building the infrastructure and legal framework so private companies can actually fly instead of waiting on more federal red tape. DeSantis also announced workforce partnerships with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Polk State College to train the pilots, technicians, and engineers this industry will need.
Who Actually Has the Best Machines Right Now
A handful of companies are far ahead of the pack. These are the ones Florida is already working with and the ones most likely to be in the air first. We’ve posted articles on a fw of these at Whatfinger earlier.
Joby Aviation (S4) The clear leader in the United States. Six tilting electric propellers, pilot plus four passengers, roughly 150-mile range, and a top speed near 200 mph. Joby is furthest along in FAA type certification (Stage 4), has already flown the first point-to-point eVTOL routes in New York City, and is launching commercial service in Dubai. Toyota is a major backer. Quiet, refined, and built for real air-taxi routes.
Archer Aviation (Midnight) Joby’s closest rival and a Florida partner. Twelve electric motors, pilot plus four passengers, optimized for short, high-frequency urban hops (roughly 60–100 mile range, around 150 mph). United Airlines has a massive order on the books, Stellantis is helping with manufacturing, and Archer is the official air-taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Designed for quick turnarounds and high utilization.
The Jetson ONE personal air vehicle.
Price: $128,000pic.twitter.com/qrlTipWFqm
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 10, 2026
BETA Technologies (ALIA) The long-range workhorse. Lift-plus-cruise design with about 250 miles of range and speeds around 170–176 mph. Strong focus on cargo and medical missions first (UPS has ordered up to 150), then passengers. BETA has already flown extensive test missions in Florida and is building a nationwide charging network. Practical, less flashy, and already generating real operational data.
Electra is also part of the Florida pilot program, focusing on ultra-short takeoff and regional connectivity. And for the personal/recreational side, Skyfly Technologies has its two-seat Axe already queued for testing at SunTrax — roughly 100-mile range, 100 mph cruise, priced around $400,000, and designed to fit the new FAA light-sport rules.
China’s EHang is already flying paying passengers on short autonomous sightseeing hops, but U.S. regulators are (rightly) taking a harder look at pilotless passenger flight. The American companies above are the ones building machines that can actually scale under FAA rules.
Why This Matters in Florida
Traffic on I-4 isn’t a talking point — it’s a daily tax on time and sanity. Medical transport that doesn’t need a helicopter pad. Cargo that skips the highways. Emergency response that can reach isolated areas without waiting for roads to clear. And an entirely new high-skill industry centered in a state that still believes in building things instead of regulating them into oblivion.
DeSantis has spent years making Florida the place where innovation doesn’t die in committee. The state funded vertiport construction, stood up the only dedicated aerial test track in the country, and invited the leading companies in. Now the machines are about to fly.
“I can’t promise we’ll ever be able to take you to the future, to the past,” DeSantis said with a Back to the Future wink. “But I think we’re going to be able to get you up in the air at some point in the not too distant future.”
That point is measured in months, not decades. Florida is doing what Florida does best: cutting the nonsense and letting the future arrive early. Texas needs to follow them quickly, then other states will adopt the new flying cars to not fall behind.
—The Whatfinger News Team: Sgt K and Beth
References
- DeSantis Announces Flying Cars Are Coming to Florida, and Sooner Than You Think
- In Polk, DeSantis touts Florida as leader in flying-car development
- Flying vehicles coming to Central Florida by year’s end, Gov. Ron DeSantis says
- Gov. DeSantis touts electric air taxis set for testing in Florida by end of 2026
- DeSantis Touts Launch of eVTOL Vehicles as Future of Air Transportation
- Polk’s SunTrax site prepares to host flying car tests
- Flying Taxis Are Racing to Carry Passengers: I’ve Seen All 3 Rivals
- BETA, Republic Airways prepare for cargo air taxi service in Florida
- DeSantis funds vertiports to support Florida flying taxis
- Are Electric Air Taxis Actually Ready For Passengers In 2026?
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