Cars will fly at the 2028 Olympic Games

At the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, we could see flying cars. It's not a joke. The LA28 organizing committee has announced an official collaboration with Archer for an air taxi service. Archer is an American company based in San Jose, founded in 2018 and specialized in designing and building electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for use in urban areas. The appointment as Official Air Taxi Provider coincided with Archer's announcement to introduce the Midnight eVTOL, the electric aircraft designated to transport VIPs, fans, and stakeholders from one location to another during the upcoming Olympic Games.

The introduction of air taxis may seem like a luxury for wealthy people, but in reality, it represents the best possible solution to avoid delays caused by the congested traffic in Los Angeles. It's no coincidence that the largest city in California is also known for its helicopter traffic, mainly used by celebrities to move from one point to another. And the idea behind Archer's project is precisely to take the benefits of helicopter travel, which can be quite expensive, and make them available to a wider audience.

Archer has not yet released the rates, but according to CEO Adam Goldstein, the cost for a flight should not differ much from Uber LUX rates, and just like Uber, it will be possible to book an air taxi through an app. According to estimates from the Los Angeles Times, a fleet of 50 aircraft will be made available, which can transport up to four passengers, but it will inevitably not be enough to meet the demand. There remains one last obstacle. The launch of air taxis was initially planned for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, but the project was put on hold due to the failure to obtain the necessary certificates from the European Aviation Safety Agency. In parallel, Archer Aviation has not yet received certification from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which means that the vehicles cannot be used commercially at the moment. The goal is to obtain them in time for 2028.