On the second day of his visit to Paris, Governor Ron DeSantis signed two pieces of legislation aimed at accelerating aerospace innovation in Florida. The signing took place at the Florida Activation Event, which brought together companies and industry leaders from both Florida and abroad to explore future business opportunities.
Governor DeSantis also held meetings with key employers in the aerospace, aviation, military, and defense sectors to discuss their long-term economic development plans and reaffirm the state’s support for these industries.
Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly commented on the governor’s efforts: “The Governor’s leadership of Florida’s delegates have shown statewide support for all facets—infrastructure, workforce, and finance—for industries like aerospace, aviation, military, defense, transportation, logistics and manufacturing.” He added that with the signing of SB 1516 and SB 1662, Governor DeSantis demonstrated a commitment to supporting innovation and investment in these fields. Kelly also thanked Senators Wright and Collins as well as Representatives Kendall, Abbott, and Bankson for their work on these bills.
SB 1662 aims to bolster Florida’s standing as “The Aerospace State” by creating a framework for integrating Advanced Air Mobility. It also increases investments in state spaceports to foster industry growth. Additionally, it provides for the coordination of the Florida Transportation Research Institute alongside colleges, universities, state agencies, and industry leaders. The bill prohibits publicly owned airports from charging landing fees related to flight training activities tied to collegiate aviation programs.
SB 1516 seeks to position Florida as a hub for aerospace innovation by supporting startups and advancing research within the sector. It establishes the International Aerospace Innovation Fund (IAIF), managed by Space Florida. This fund is designed to accelerate global aerospace innovation through funding collaborative research projects and workforce development initiatives.
