On Jan. 1, 1914, pilot Tony Jannus flew a Benoist airboat from St. Petersburg to Tampa, carrying former St. Petersburg Mayor Abe Pheil.
The trip is recognized as the world’s first scheduled commercial airline flight.
More than a century later, two electric air taxis made similar trips Friday, offering a glimpse of what getting across the bay and beating traffic could look like in the not-too-distant future.
The flights by Joby Aviation and BETA Technologies are part of a series of demonstrations organized by the Florida Department of Transportation.
An electric air taxi created by Joby Aviation flew from St. Petersburg to Tampa International Airport in a test flight Friday morning. BETA Technologies' flight recreated Jannus' route.
The companies are testing electric aircraft that could eventually carry passengers and cargo between cities, potentially avoiding traffic on some of the state’s busiest roads.
Florida looks to make 'flying cars' part of a transportation network
After the demonstrations, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida is working to make the technology a part of its transportation network.
“It's the closest thing that we have right now to flying cars,” DeSantis said.
Joby’s S4 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft uses six tilting propellers and electric propulsion. It’s designed to carry a pilot and four passengers, with a reported top speed of about 200 mph.
BETA’s ALIA CX300 is an electric aircraft that takes off and lands like a conventional plane.
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DeSantis said Florida has invested in advanced air mobility through legislation, infrastructure and research.
He pointed to the state’s participation in the Federal Aviation Administration’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), which is intended to help companies and regulators test how the aircraft can operate safely in the national airspace.
“These can be used potentially as an air taxi service,” DeSantis said. “You think about some areas you would want to avoid by car. You could have a situation where these are operating almost like a rideshare.”
FAA program targets regional air service
Florida’s effort includes potential uses for passenger transportation, automation, cargo delivery and medical response, according to the FAA.
The program has eight projects across 26 states.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Florida stands out for its support of the technology and could help bring air service to smaller communities.
“We saw the potential of these aircraft not just for intermodal connectivity, but to reconnect small-town America to national transportation systems,” he said.
He said aviation is an important connection for communities across the country, and electric aircraft could offer more convenient and affordable regional transportation.
Florida builds a framework and trains workers
Florida is also developing infrastructure to support the aircraft.
The state has expanded SunTrax, a 775-acre research and testing facility in Polk County, to include two vertiports with charging infrastructure, an aerial test track and hangar space for companies to assemble and test their technology.
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said the state is preparing for new forms of transportation as it works to address congestion and rebuild major highways.
“This is going to provide a new way for people and goods to move around the entire country, but more importantly, the state of Florida,” Perdue said. “You could potentially see hundreds of these vehicles flying on a highway in the sky, moving thousands of people between two destinations.”
Joby’s President of Operations Bonny Simi said electric aircraft could reduce travel times between communities and give people more options for getting around the region.
ALSO READ: DeSantis launches state funding for vertiports, with eyes on the future of flying cabs
She pointed to the roughly 23-mile drive between St. Petersburg and Tampa across the Howard Frankland Bridge, which can take nearly an hour during rush hour. A flight between the two cities could take about 10 minutes, she said.
“Think about that,” Simi said. “You needed to get over to St. Pete real quick with some meetings right around in the area. You can hop on a local vertiport.”
Simi said Joby is working with federal and state officials on the infrastructure, procedures and experience needed to begin commercial service.
The company’s goal, she said, is to “give people time back” by connecting the places where they live, work and travel.
Companies work toward commercial service
BETA’s Head of Flight Operations Chris Caputo said the companies conducted 26 flights over three days as part of the Florida demonstrations.
Caputo said the aircraft used 1,892 kilowatt-hours of electricity and estimated the electricity cost at around $300.
The flights were completed by two pilots without a ground crew. He said the operations are helping companies collect data needed to move the aircraft from the demonstration phase to commercial service.
“Each of these engagements helps... move this technology forward from a demonstration phase to safe, commercial, viable operations through eIPP,” Caputo said.
But the demonstrations do not mean air taxi service is ready to begin. In addition to the infrastructure, companies and regulators still need to develop operating procedures required for regular flights.
Officials have not announced when passengers could book flights or how much a trip would cost.
But DeSantis still said the demonstration is an early step toward building a network of electric aircraft routes across the state.
“You're going to be seeing more of these things in the weeks, months, and years ahead,” he said.
