DeSantis says Florida will begin testing air taxis in Central Florida by year's end AUBURNDALE, Fla. (CBS12) — Florida will begin testing electric air taxis in Central Florida by the end of the year as the state expands its push into emerging transportation technology, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday. Speaking at the SunTrax testing facility in Auburndale, DeSantis said electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, known as eVTOLs, could eventually move passengers between major Florida cities without relying on traditional airports or runways. The aircraft are designed to take off and land vertically from facilities known as vertiports. “They don't need a runway,” DeSantis said. “They're going to lift off and they're going to fly and they're going to land and they're going to be able to bring people to different places and then come back.” DeSantis said one potential use would be air taxi service between Tampa and Orlando, giving travelers another option besides Interstate 4. “If you had air taxis going habitually, you go Tampa, Orlando and you can avoid I-4 entirely,” he said. He compared the concept to “an Uber taxi in the air” and said the aircraft could also eventually be used to transport cargo or assist with medical and emergency response missions. DeSantis said Florida has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration to participate in an Advanced Air Mobility integration pilot program, giving the state a role in testing how the emerging technology could operate in everyday transportation systems. The governor also highlighted Florida’s work with autonomous vehicles. At SunTrax, companies can test self-driving vehicles in a controlled environment designed to recreate conditions they could encounter on public roads. DeSantis pointed to a Waymo Jaguar at the facility and also referenced Tesla’s Cybercab technology. “Clearly these things could potentially be very beneficial, but safety