Orlando International Airport Board Approves eVTOL Vertistop Development at MCO
Why It MattersThe approval signals a concrete regulatory and infrastructure step toward on-airport Advanced Air Mobility operations at major US commercial airports ahead of 2030.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) Board has approved airport staff to develop a vertistop for eVTOL aircraft demonstrations at Orlando International Airport (MCO), pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and support from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The vertistop, a small takeoff and landing pad, will be located at MCO's Surface Lot Atlantis near the Train Station, and will host aircraft demonstrations conducted with the FAA, FDOT, local air traffic control, NASA, and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).
The facility will also validate approach and departure procedures assessed through high-fidelity airspace simulations. GOAA described the vertistop as a step toward validating the site for future eVTOL commercial operations on-airport, part of its broader vision to develop a full-scale on-airport Advanced Air Mobility vertiport by 2030.
GOAA stated that AAM aircraft operating near Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) and MCO will carry tracking technology to improve situational awareness for pilots and air traffic controllers, and emphasized that AAM activity must not introduce risks to existing commercial aviation traffic. The initiative supports Florida's AAM program and a regional aerial highway network, with proposed activities including demonstrating eVTOL readiness, evaluating routes and communication protocols, increasing public awareness, and fostering economic development across aviation, aerospace, simulation, and advanced manufacturing sectors.
