Gov. DeSantis signs vertiport law to usher in flying vehicles era

With little fanfare, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new law to help usher the arrival of Florida’s  vertiports shuttling people from city to city.

DeSantis signed the bill Monday, according to a news release sent out at 8:37 p.m. Monday.

The Governor did not hold a press conference earlier in the day to tout the new law like he has done with other initiatives emerging out of the 2026 Legislature.

HB 1093 updates state law to add vertiports and its charging systems as official projects to qualify for public-private partnerships.

Going forward, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) could fund 100% of a vertiport’s expense if no federal dollars exist to construct it. If federal government support is there, FDOT would be allowed to fund up to 80%.

Some of the controversial provisions in HB 1093 had been stripped out earlier during the debate in Tallahassee. HB 1093 had originally protected vertiport operators from liability over wrongful death or property damage unless “gross negligence or willful misconduct” existed. Some expressed concerns those legal protections went too far.

DeSantis and lawmakers hailed the future of vertiports.

“Welcome to the age of the Jetsons,” Sen. Gayle Harrell said during the debate.

Last month the federal government selected FDOT as one of eight projects in a new pilot program for Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing.

FDOT officials previously said they expected vertiports to start taking taking off in 2027 or 2028 in Florida with the Interstate 4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando a top priority for air service. Vertiports could fly passengers, carry micro freight and help with emergency management, officials said.

“HB 1093 is a forward-looking infrastructure bill that’s designed to ensure Florida remains the national leader in aerospace and aviation,” said bill sponsor Rep. Leonard Spencer, a Gotha Democrat whose district covers Orange and Osceola counties, when the House unanimously passed his bill last month. “HB 1093 is about positioning Florida not just for today’s transportation needs, but for tomorrow’s economy, driving innovation and creating high-paying jobs in our state.”