'We truly are in the age of flying cars': DeSantis touts air taxis, autonomous vehicles DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday highlighted Florida’s expanding investment in advanced air mobility, saying electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft could soon provide a new way to move passengers around the state. Speaking at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, DeSantis focused on eVTOL aircraft — vehicles that can take off and land vertically like helicopters but transition into forward flight more like fixed-wing airplanes. DeSantis said the battery-powered models now approaching the market are relatively quiet and have a range of about 100 miles. He suggested the aircraft could eventually serve as air taxis connecting airports, tourist destinations and congested metropolitan areas. One example, he said, would be flying passengers from Tampa International Airport toward Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando rather than having them drive along Interstate 4. “You could potentially just leapfrog I-4 entirely,” DeSantis said. Florida is preparing to test the emerging technology at SunTrax, the state transportation research facility in Polk County. DeSantis said eVTOL test flights are expected to begin there by the end of the year. The governor said the technology has advanced rapidly and could move beyond testing into commercial service relatively soon. “You could start to see taxi service with these vertical lift platforms probably within the next year,” DeSantis said, while acknowledging that questions about safety, cost and commercial viability remain. DeSantis also said the aircraft could eventually have uses beyond passenger transportation, including medical transport, disaster response, emergency operations and law enforcement. He said the military has shown interest in hybrid versions that could use conventional fuel to extend their range. The state’s push into advanced air mobility is also becoming a workforce and research initiative. Related: DeSantis says Florida will begin