Adam Gardner, a lobbyist and founder of the Utah Aerospace and Defense Association, told a local forum that electric air taxis and related infrastructure are advancing rapidly in Utah and could begin regular operations in the state within the next several years.

Gardner said the technology is not futuristic hype but a near-term change in mobility: “This is not the Jetsons. It's real,” he said, quoting Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation, that “these demonstrations are more than just a technology showcase. They represent a fundamental shift in how we think about mobility.”

Gardner described two classes of aircraft. Current conventional takeoff-and-landing electric aircraft, he said, already operate for cargo and medical deliveries, and the Federal Aviation Administration has certified at least one type of aircraft for such uses. He said Beta Technologies has chosen Utah for a partnership on advanced air mobility and that small-package and medical delivery flights could appear in the state first, with Gardner predicting “about 2027” for initial operations.

Gardner said the industry expects growth to passenger service: he said manufacturers project 12-passenger conventional aircraft in service by 2030 and that vertical takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) vehicles for short hops—what Gardner called “vertiports,” essentially helipads rather than full airports—could be in use by the time of the Olympics. He noted cities and airport operators are already discussing siting and development: West Jordan City, the Salt Lake City airport system and the South Valley Airport were named as participants in early planning discussions, and developers are reportedly reserving space in new master-planned communities for vertiport access.

On infrastructure, Gardner said the Utah Legislature appropriated $2,000,000 for charging stations to be placed at municipal airports and described a “cube” charging station from Beta Technologies that can charge an electric plane in under an hour and also serve electric cars and bikes. He said aircraft range and operations depend on charging speed and that the planes he discussed can fly for several hours between charges.

Gardner said piloted operations are likely for the first phase of deployment, with autonomy expected later: he estimated pilots would operate these vehicles for roughly the next decade and suggested more autonomous operations could arrive in the mid-2030s.

Gardner acknowledged uncertainties industry and regulators still must address, including FAA certification timelines, manufacturing location (he said most current manufacturing is on the East Coast though the state is working to bring battery work to Utah), weather and icing in mountainous areas, and how pricing models and public operators such as Utah Transit Authority would affect who pays to ride. He also said businesses such as UPS see potential cost savings for cargo compared with trucks and trains.

The forum did not record any formal votes or government actions during Gardner’s presentation; participants asked questions about safety, affordability and pilot versus autonomous operation. Gardner said some demonstrations and early operations are already under way elsewhere internationally and domestically and that Utah’s stakeholders are positioning to participate.

Looking ahead, Gardner predicted an initial presence in Utah by 2027 for cargo and demonstration flights, passenger conventional flights scaling toward 2030, and broader adoption tied to FAA approvals, local infrastructure and manufacturing decisions.