In May the LA28 organizing committee selected Archer Aviation as the Summer Olympic Games’ official air taxi provider. [Courtesy: Archer Aviation]
Key Takeaways:
The FAA and Archer Aviation aim to launch large-scale eVTOL air taxi operations, starting with Archer's Midnight at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, to revolutionize urban travel.
Achieving this vision faces significant challenges, including obtaining FAA certification for the novel "powered-lift" aircraft category, establishing extensive charging infrastructure, gaining operational experience in dense urban environments, and securing local city cooperation for vertiport locations.
While the federal government is supporting eVTOL integration, industry analysts express skepticism regarding the 2028 timeline for widespread service, predicting any initial Olympic deployment will be very limited due to the complexities of development and certification.
The FAA’s Innovate28 blueprint forecasts 2028 as the year electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis reach operational scale in major U.S. cities, such as Los Angeles. The City of Angels is slated to host the 2028 Olympic Games that summer.
If scale is the goal, there are few events grander than the Olympics.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
![In May the LA28 organizing committee selected Archer Aviation as the Summer Olympic Games’ official air taxi provider. [Courtesy: Archer Aviation]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/FLY0825_1.3-Modern-Flying-1-scaled.jpeg)
