AIR Partners with Florida Department of Transportation to Establish U.S. Headquarters and eVTOL Production Hub
AIR will become the first advanced air mobility company to establish eVTOL production and conduct flight operations in Florida
AUBURNDALE, Fla., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AIR, the leading manufacturer and developer of Smart Aircraft, today announced a partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to establish its new U.S. headquarters and an eVTOL production and flight operations hub at SunTrax, Florida's advanced air and ground transportation research and development facility near Orlando. This partnership will make AIR the first advanced air mobility (AAM) company to manufacture and operate eVTOL aircraft in Florida.
AIR has established operations at the facility in an approximately 20,000-square-foot space at the 775-acre SunTrax campus and will expand its presence as operations grow. The company has been conducting flight operations in Florida since August of 2025 near West Palm Beach and plans to begin manufacturing its AIR ONE personal eVTOL aircraft and its autonomous heavy-lift cargo aircraft in the United States by the end of the year. As part of this expansion, AIR will relocate the flight test programs for both aircraft to SunTrax, where testing and demonstration flights will continue as the programs advance toward production.
"Advanced air mobility is entering a new phase in the United States, moving from aircraft development toward production and real-world operations," said Rani Plaut, CEO and co-founder of AIR. "Establishing AIR's U.S. headquarters at SunTrax gives us the infrastructure and support needed to manufacture and operate our aircraft in America, while contributing to a strong domestic AAM industry. Florida simply makes sense for AIR. We already have more than 300 customers in the state, along with a growing network of partners, suppliers, and supporters. Florida is home to one of the world's strongest aviation ecosystems, and its leadership has been incredibly proactive in advancing the infrastructure, policies, and resources needed to support Advanced Air Mobility. Establishing our operations here is a natural next step that will accelerate our growth and help shape AIR's next chapter."
Owned and operated by FDOT, SunTrax Air is Florida's dedicated headquarters for AAM research, development, and commercialization. The purpose-built campus features dedicated airspace, the nation's first AAM Aerial Test Track, vertiports, high-speed aircraft charging stations and maintenance hangars that will support AIR's aircraft production, testing, and flight operations.
"AIR's decision to establish operations at SunTrax represents an important step towards the launch of flying cars in Florida as we bring highways to the sky," said Jared W. Perdue, P.E., FDOT Secretary. "This partnership brings aircraft production, testing, and jobs to the state, and will help continue the development of this new mode of transportation."
AIR intends to hire locally and contribute to Florida's growing advanced manufacturing economy. As its production and flight operations expand, FDOT will work with AIR to support its longer-term manufacturing needs and continued growth within the state.
The partnership brings AIR's aircraft programs and production experience to Florida's purpose-built AAM infrastructure, supporting the state's national role in advanced air mobility development, manufacturing, and commercial operations.
About AIR
AIR is the leading manufacturer and developer of smart aircraft, advancing the future of simple, advanced, and safe transportation. AIR combines engineering, certification, and operational expertise to redefine air mobility through its advanced dual-use eVTOL aircraft being certified for private ownership and autonomous cargo platforms for defense and critical logistics missions. Powered by a proprietary approach to aircraft design, patented innovations in hardware and software, and application of proven practices from the automotive industry, AIR is transforming electric aviation from vision into a scalable reality. For more information, please visit: https://www.airev.aero/
SOURCE AIR
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