Electric Air Taxis to Fly Over LA as Vertiport Plans Advance

Electric air taxis could soon be flying over Los Angeles, with vertiport site planning moving forward as the city prepares for the 2028 LA Olympics.

According to the LA Times on October 3, VertiPorts by Atlantic, a subsidiary of Atlantic Aviation, one of the largest operators of helicopter and airplane landing sites, is searching for suitable locations across LA while awaiting approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The company is considering airport-adjacent land, university grounds, and parking structures to build vertiports that would allow eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) to operate like taxis within the city.

Kevin Cox, CEO of VertiPorts, said the facilities will serve as alternative infrastructure to bypass heavy traffic. He explained that routes where a 30-minute drive stretches to 90 minutes due to congestion would be ideal. Areas like downtown LA, Santa Monica, and Culver City, where offices, commercial centers, and dense housing intersect, are being evaluated. Vertiports could be built on vacant airport land, parking lot rooftops, or building roofs.

In May, the LA28 Organizing Committee announced a partnership with Archer Aviation, based in San Jose, to introduce air taxis during the Olympics. Archer’s plan calls for a vertiport network linking SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Santa Monica, and Orange County, offering 10–20 minute flights.

Challenges remain, as current city regulations do not include provisions for air taxi takeoffs and landings. Industry officials describe this as the beginning of an urban air mobility era, calling vertiports “bus stops in the sky.”

BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]