Governor Ron DeSantis cemented Florida’s commitment to becoming a global hub for aerospace, transportation, and advanced mobility innovation by signing two pivotal pieces of legislation at the Florida Activation Event in Paris on June 17, 2025. The new laws, Senate Bill 1516 and Senate Bill 1662, aim to bolster the state’s infrastructure, workforce, and research capabilities in these critical sectors.
“Florida continues to set the national standard for economic growth, workforce development, and innovation,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “With these bills, we are building on our state’s strong foundation to ensure that Florida remains at the forefront of aerospace and transportation advancement for decades to come.”
SB 1516 establishes the International Aerospace Innovation Fund, to be administered by Space Florida. This fund is designed to spur global aerospace research, commercialization, and workforce development by fostering strategic partnerships between Florida-based and international aerospace companies, research institutions, and space agencies. The goal is to attract new projects, companies, and high-wage jobs to the state, reinforcing Florida’s leadership in the global space economy.
SB 1662 enacts comprehensive reforms across Florida’s transportation, seaport, airport, and logistics sectors. Key provisions of this bill include:
- Establishing the Florida Transportation Research Institute: This will serve as a central hub for high-value research and innovation among Florida universities and aerospace industries.
- New Funding Mechanisms for Spaceports and Manufacturing: This includes infrastructure to support commercial space launch operations at any Spaceport territory in Florida. Florida currently accounts for 60% of all global space launches.
- Protecting Aerospace Interests: The bill prevents space-designated land at seaports from being repurposed for non-space activities, safeguarding Florida’s long-term competitiveness, especially around critical areas like Cape Canaveral.
- Dedicated Plans for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM): This positions Florida as a leader in next-generation aviation technologies and provides a framework for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to invest in vertiport construction, starting with a facility at SunTrax for AAM research, testing, and deployment.
“By signing this bill today, Governor DeSantis showed his continued support of investing in transportation and solidified Florida’s commitment to propel innovation, enhance safety, and increase efficiency to best serve Florida communities,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E.
In addition to the legislative signings, Lockheed Martin and the University of Central Florida (UCF) announced plans for a Memorandum of Understanding. This partnership will focus on advancing workforce development, research collaboration, and innovation in Florida, expanding UCF’s College Work Experience Program, growing sponsored research in areas like AI, robotics, and hypersonics, and establishing a tailored executive education program for Lockheed Martin.
With these legislative actions and industry partnerships, Florida continues to brand itself as a premier destination for global investment, advanced manufacturing, aerospace innovation, and transportation development.
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