UrbanLink Air Mobility, a Miami company aiming to be a leader in eVTOL transportation, has already begun ordering the electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for its air taxi passenger fleet the company hopes to launch in 2026. UrbanLink also recently announced it is jumping into all-electric seagliders as well.
What’s next? Cargo.
Today, UrbanLink Air Mobility announced a strategic partnership with California-based Traverse Aero to expand its fleet with the addition of 40 Orcas, Traverse Aero’s flagship hybrid-electric eVTOL cargo drone.
According to Traverse Aero, Orca is the world’s first fully autonomous eVTOL drone designed specifically for palletized cargo. With a 600-mile range, Orca can deliver cargo weighing up to 550 pounds, and it uses batteries and sustainable aviation fuel to achieve an 80 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. While trucks have traditionally dominated palletized cargo transport, they contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Drones will offer a cleaner, more sustainable alternative, reducing the carbon footprint of supply chain operations, UrbanLink believes.
Orca’s rapid response capabilities, heavy lift and long range will service first responders and large-scale, humanitarian relief efforts well, the company says. Orca is designed for seamless integration into existing logistics supply chains, making it also suited for many commercial and national security applications.
“The Orca drones not only provide our customers with an environmentally friendly delivery service, they also allow us to support first responders and local communities in the wake of a natural disaster. This partnership marks another step forward in our mission to deliver sustainable, high-value, end-to-end transportation across air, sea and ground,” said UrbanLink founder and Chairman Ed Wegel, in a statement.
There is also a strategic link with the passenger and sea eVTOLs UrbanLink has already ordered. UrbanLink plans to first deploy Orca drones in Puerto Rico for relief services, working with governmental agencies to deliver essential supplies, equipment, and rescue services. In Miami, Orca drones will support relief operations and also transport additional baggage and cargo for passengers traveling on UrbanLink eVTOLs and sea vehicles.
Since its launch in April 2024, UrbanLink has expanded its fleet of eVTOL aircraft. Last month, UrbanLink announced a partnership with Eviation Aircraft, a manufacturer of all-electric passenger aircraft, to buy 10 Alice aircraft, a 9-passenger, zero-emission commuter aircraft, with the option to acquire 10 additional aircraft. This order will enable UrbanLink to provide eco-friendly commute flights with the 9-passenger Alice aircraft, which can fly up to 250 nautical miles nonstop. That news followed the company’s announcement in September that it plans to operate REGENT’s flagship Viceroy seagliders, which are 12-passenger vessels that travel at up to 180mph to service routes up to 180 miles on a single charge, and put 27 on order. In May, the company announced a partnership with Lilium to purchase 20 of its pioneering eVTOL jets.
With its eVTOL operations expected to enter service in 2026, UrbanLink is poised to be among the first airlines in the U.S. to integrate eVTOL aircraft into its fleet. To be sure, UrbanLink is not alone. Miami-based GlobalX has announced its intention to be an eVTOL player. Archer, Joby and other national players have signaled their interest in launching eVTOL service in the South Florida market, too.
UrbanLink says it is currently focused on the Miami/South Florida, Los Angeles/Southern California and Caribbean markets, and additional routes will be announced in the future.
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