Get ready for a future where you might just fly over L.A. traffic to catch a Lakers game. Archer Aviation, the company poised to be the official air taxi provider for the 2028 Olympic Games, just announced plans for a new "vertiport" at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. Because, apparently, that's where we are now.
This isn't some far-off sci-fi fantasy; it's a very real, very concrete plan. Archer and AEG, the entertainment giant behind L.A. Live, are teaming up to build a dedicated landing and takeoff spot for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Think helipad, but for quieter, greener flying cars. Or, as the FAA puts it, "special areas for vertical takeoff and landing."
The Sky's the Limit, Apparently
This L.A. Live location is just the latest piece in Archer's growing Southern California empire. They've already got agreements for sites near the University of Southern California, SoFi Stadium, and Hollywood Burbank Airport. Last year, they even bought Hawthorne Municipal Airport to serve as their regional operations hub. Archer's CEO, Adam Goldstein, called the L.A. Live spot a "one-of-a-kind opportunity" and a flagship for their network before the 2028 Games kick off.
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Start Your News DetoxSo, while you're currently stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, companies like Archer and Joby Aviation are full-throttle on the road (or rather, air) to commercial flights. The Federal Aviation Administration is even helping them along with its eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, which includes cities from New York to Utah. Because building flying taxis is one thing; making sure they have somewhere to land and charge is quite another.
Speaking of charging, Beta Technologies is stepping in to install the electric charging equipment at the L.A. Live site. This is part of a larger plan with Archer and Macquarie Capital to build charging infrastructure at up to 250 U.S. air taxi locations over the next decade. Nick Baker, AEG Global Partnerships President, called it an "ambitious project" designed to blend tech and infrastructure for fans and the community. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying. Imagine cheering on the Kings, then just... flying home.
