Ferrovial Vertiports is exploring locations in South Florida for eVTOL aircraft landing sites through a partnership with charter flight start-up UrbanLink Air Mobility. Miami-based UrbanLink plans to operate the six-passenger Lilium Jet to connect communities such as Miami, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Marco Island, starting in the summer of 2026.
Under the partnership announced on June 24, Ferrovial will own and operate the new vertiports. UrbanLink said it may also seek to develop, finance, and own vertiports at other locations in the future, but its business model is mainly based on working with established infrastructure providers.
According to an UrbanLink spokesperson, more partnership announcements can be expected later this year. “We are working with other vertiport developers, as no single vertiport developer can finance and build all the vertiports that will be needed,” the company told AIN. “Other operators will be able to use the vertiports owned by Ferrovial as governments are rightly requiring equal access availability for all certified eVTOL operators.”
In May, UrbanLink placed orders with Lilium for 20 of its eVTOL aircraft, plus options for another 20 Lilium Jets backed by scheduled pre-delivery payments. The German manufacturer is aiming to achieve EASA type certification in time to start deliveries in 2026, and this approval will need to be validated by the FAA for services to start in the U.S. The all-electric aircraft, which features 30 ducted fan electric engines installed in its wing and canard, is expected to have an initial range of around 94 nm.
UrbanLink plans to operate under a Part 135 certificate with a mix of scheduled and on-demand services. Beyond South Florida, the company plans to establish eVTOL service networks in Los Angeles and Southern California.
The new operator’s founder, Ed Wegel, was previously chairman of Global Crossing Airline Group, a Part 121 airline that in September 2022 agreed to buy up to 50 of Eviation’s nine-passenger Alice fixed-wing aircraft. In November 2023, the company launched a new business unit called UrbanX that signed a letter of intent for up to 200 of Eve Air Mobility’s four-passenger eVTOL aircraft that it planned to operate in the Miami-Dade County area.
Ferrovial, which is a major international airport, railway, and highway operator, has previously announced vertiport partnerships with Lilium and Eve. Outside the U.S., the group has investigated plans for eVTOL infrastructure in the UK and Spain.
“We see tremendous opportunity for advanced air mobility,” said Ferrovial Vertiports CEO Kevin Cox. “Connecting cities across South Florida will bring safe, efficient transportation options to the region and improve mobility. Our focus is on ensuring that an agnostic vertiport network is in place for operators like UrbanLink when eVTOLs gain certification.”
South Korea Steps Up Vertiport Plans
In other advanced air mobility infrastructure news this week, South Korean low-cost airline Jeju Air has launched a partnership with vertiports developer Skyports. The companies will collaborate over plans to support eVTOL operations in major cities and also on Jeju Island, which is 50 miles off the southern coast of the Korean peninsula.
Several Korean companies are focused on preparing for eVTOL air services, including MintAir, which in September 2022 agreed to purchase 40 of Jaunt’s Journey vehicles. Technology group Hanwha Systems, an investor in U.S. eVTOL aircraft developer Overair, is already partnered with Skyports.
In October 2023, Korean Air signed a partnership with Supernal, which is backed by Korean car maker Hyundai in its plans to develop the four-passenger S-A2 aircraft. The airline will help the manufacturer to define local market requirements and support testing.