Steve Ross Backs South Florida Air-Taxi Network

In the near future, professionals working in Steve Ross’ West Palm Beach office towers could finish their workday and travel to his Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens in under 30 minutes.

This swift commute will take place aboard Archer Aviation’s air taxis, a concept reminiscent of the Jetsons, made possible through a partnership between billionaire Related chairman Steve Ross and the San Jose-based Archer Aviation, as reported by the South Florida Business Journal.

Archer Aviation is focused on developing electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, commonly referred to as air taxis. The company plans to establish a network of hubs at several airports across South Florida, including Miami Executive Airport, Miami International Airport, Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Boca Raton Airport, Palm Beach International Airport, and Stuart Witham Field Airport.

In addition to airports, Archer intends to use helipads at Ross’ Hard Rock Stadium and his Apogee Golf Club. Plans are also underway for new vertiports—facilities similar to helipads—in West Palm Beach, Miami’s Magic City Innovation District in Little Haiti, and North Bay Village, according to company announcements and news reports.

The longest journeys within this forthcoming network are expected to take approximately 30 minutes, according to the Wall Street Journal.

For its South Florida operations, Archer will deploy the Midnight model, which accommodates four passengers, a pilot, and their luggage. While official pricing has not been released, Archer’s head of government affairs, Melissa McCaffrey, indicated that fares would be comparable to premium ride services such as Uber Black—typically around $200 for a trip between Miami and West Palm Beach.

This new service has the potential to significantly impact a region often hampered by heavy traffic and congestion.

The launch date for the air taxi network depends on approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, which has not yet certified Archer’s eVTOL aircraft for commercial service. Notably, this aircraft is among the first new categories considered by the FAA in nearly 80 years.

Archer is also working to establish similar air taxi networks in other major cities, including New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Abu Dhabi.

South Florida is attracting attention from other eVTOL manufacturers as well. Israeli eVTOL developer AIR began flight tests near West Palm Beach in September. However, one of its aircraft crashed during a test flight in October, according to Aero Time.