🖥️ Upcycling the Skies | CityClips #552

Transportation: Flying Taxis are Coming to Tallahassee

Space: UF + NASA Collaborate to Recycle Mission Waste

Awards: PS27 Entrepreneurship Finalists

Featured: CityClips | 2025 Analytics

FL Tech Events

The state is positioning itself to become the first in the U.S. to offer commercial Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), allowing passengers to travel between cities using electric flying taxis instead of cars. Tallahassee is included in these future plans, with Tallahassee International Airport expected to play a role.

Florida’s first aerial test site will operate at FDOT’s SunTrax facility in Polk County, near the heavily congested I-4 corridor. This site will help test and approve electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) before they’re used for regular passenger travel. 🧳

Archer Aviation announced plans to launch flights connecting major airports like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach. Additional pickup points include Boca Raton, Stuart, and several executive airports, making short regional trips faster and more convenient.

Archer’s Midnight aircraft looks more like a small electric plane with multiple rotors. It carries up to four passengers plus a pilot, produces less noise than helicopters, and is designed to be neighborhood-friendly while performing frequent short flights. ✈️

A drive that normally takes 60–90 min. could be reduced to just 10–20 min. by air. For example, a Palm Beach–to–Miami trip may take under 20 min., offering a potential solution to Florida’s traffic congestion and a glimpse into the future of commuting.

As space missions increase in number and length, so does the waste they generate—especially from plastic, foam, and nylon packaging used to protect cargo. University of Florida researchers are working with NASA’s Deep Space Logistics (DSL) team to find smarter, more sustainable ways to handle this issue.

Biomanufacturing is the key solution being explored. Instead of throwing packaging away, researchers are using microbes, cells, and enzymes to break down waste materials and convert them into useful resources. This approach could allow future missions to recycle materials directly in space rather than relying solely on resupply from Earth. 🌏

The research is now mission-focused, not just theoretical. With guidance from NASA’s DSL Program, UF scientists are designing recycling systems based on real waste types, real timelines, and real mission needs. This shift brings the research closer to practical, flight-ready applications for deep space missions.

The work could support long-term missions to the Moon and Mars. By transforming discarded materials into usable products, this technology could reduce cargo weight, lower costs, and improve sustainability on extended missions where resupply is limited or impossible.

The collaboration strengthens Florida’s role in space innovation. Facilitated by the Florida University Space Research Consortium, the partnership highlights how universities, government agencies, and industry can work together to solve real-world challenges, support workforce development, and advance the future of deep space exploration. ✨

⭐ Andrew Rush (Star Catcher) – Advancing the world’s first space-based energy grid, focused on powering satellites and future space infrastructure sustainably.

🤖 Matthew Chang (Chang Robotics) – Deploying autonomous vehicles and collaborative robotics, including large-scale manufacturing automation and smart transit systems.

🚁 Robert Dahlstrom (Apellix) – Innovating working drones with patented power-wash and maintenance robotics that improve safety and reduce infrastructure costs.

⚙️ Ted Willich (NLP Logix) – Delivering AI-driven solutions through generative AI, predictive analytics, and custom data science applications across industries.

💡 Summer Vyne (AnuVision Technologies) – Redefining commercial AV and immersive tech with LED walls, holograms, and interactive experience design.

Celebrate the Season with STEM Fun and Sweet Creations at the Leon County Public Library | Learn More

Venture Funding 101: Fundamentals from a Private Equity Investor by IGNITE Tallahassee | Tuesday, Jan. 27 | 10 AM | IGNITE Tallahassee, 1729 W. Paul Dirac Dr. | Register

Featured Event: 2026 Power Forward Speaker Series by First Commerce and FSU Division of Research | Tuesday, Jan. 27 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | Main Floor – $20, Balcony – $15, Student (ID Required at Door) –  $10 | Learn More

Challenger 40th Anniversary | Wednesday, Jan. 28 | The Challenger Learning Center, 200 S. Duval St. | Free | Learn More

Staying Sharp and Connected: What Science Says About Aging Well | Thursday, Jan. 29 | 10 AM | Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St. | Learn More

NSF I-Corps: Expert Panel by IGNITE Tallahassee | Tuesday, Feb. 3 | 2 PM | Chemical Sciences Laboratory, 102 Varsity Way, 1003 Auditorium | Register

Unlocking the Code of Life: A Conversation on the Promises of Biotechnology | Thursday, Jan. 29 | 5:30 PM | Live Oak Pavilion, Student Union, Florida Atlantic University | Free | Learn More

South Miami Tech Tuesdays – presented by Purple Horizons | Tuesday, Feb. 3 | 6 PM | Bougainvillea’s Old Florida Tavern, 7221 SW. 58th Ave.,S. Miami | Free | Learn More

2026 APIC South Florida Conference | Friday, Feb. 6 | 8:30 AM | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood | APIC Members – $135.23, Non-members – $161.90, Student – $81.88 | Learn More