Los Angeles is set to welcome its first downtown vertiport for electric air taxis, as Archer Aviation and AEG revealed their plans on Monday. This facility is meant to be ready in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The proposed vertiport will function as a launch and landing spot for Archer’s Midnight aircraft, which is a fully electric vehicle designed for quick urban trips.
This partnership positions Archer as the exclusive air taxi provider for L.A. LIVE, a massive sports and entertainment area built by AEG that sits next to the Crypto.com Arena.
Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer, has expressed that this project represents a significant addition to their Los Angeles air taxi network.
“We see this as a unique chance to integrate a flagship location into our planned Los Angeles air taxi network with the LA28 Games approaching,” Goldstein mentioned.
The proposed site aims to facilitate easy travel for fans, athletes, artists, and visitors to the downtown area, bypassing the notoriously traffic-heavy streets of Los Angeles.
According to Archer, the envisioned air taxi network could reduce travel time across the city to about 10 to 20 minutes—a considerable decrease from the hour-long car rides that can often be the norm.
In addition to the downtown vertiport, Archer has plans for other air taxi locations at SoFi Stadium, USC, and Hollywood Burbank, while Hawthorne Airport is expected to serve as the main operational hub for the network.
With the 2028 Games in mind, this initiative is strategic. Archer has become the Official Air Taxi Provider for LA28 and Team USA. L.A. LIVE is anticipated to host 19 different Olympic and Paralympic events, so having a vertiport downtown could become a crucial transportation asset as the city prepares for an influx of visitors.
“We are excited to team up with Archer to enhance the experience of fans attending our major sports and live entertainment events,” said Nick Baker, the president and COO of AEG Global Partnerships.
“This is an ambitious undertaking and reflects the innovative collaboration that merges infrastructure and technology to benefit fans and the surrounding community,” Baker added.
So far, the companies have conducted an initial feasibility study, assessing land use, airspace, power availability, and potential impacts on the local community. They are now in the phase of reviewing operational plans and how passengers will interact with the vertiport.
The planned vertiport is also expected to include electric aviation chargers from BETA as part of Archer’s ACES consortium, aimed at creating standardized charging solutions for air taxi services.
Archer emphasizes that its Midnight aircraft is designed to produce zero operational emissions and generate considerably less noise compared to traditional helicopters. Moreover, the aircraft incorporates redundant systems, striving for safety levels similar to those of commercial airliners.
On August 24, Archer and AEG will showcase a Midnight aircraft adorned with a “Team USA” Olympic design at L.A. LIVE. This aircraft will be publicly displayed until August 25.
