Paris Air Show: Wisk partners with Miami to bring autonomous air taxis to South Florida
Boeing spinoff and ambitious eVTOL manufacturer Wisk has partnered with companies in Miami to drive forward the adoption of air taxis in the South Florida region.
The company signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) and with the University of Miami’s Engineering Autonomy Mobility Initiative (MEAMI).
The MOUs are focussed on planning, infrastructure development and policy pathways to enable commercialisation of autonomous advanced air mobility (AAM) in the county and at MDAD airports.
“Miami has demonstrated long-standing support for AAM, making it a natural fit for future Wisk operations,” said Sebastien Vigneron, CEO of Wisk. “These partnerships are helping us build the entire AAM ecosystem and unlock the full potential of autonomous operations at scale so we can bring safe, everyday flight to everyone.”
What do these partnerships mean for Miami?
Under the terms of the MOU, Wisk will work with MDAD to identify locations that may be suitable for future air taxi operations.
It will also evaluate vertiport infrastructure options at MDAD airports, including Miami International (MIA), Miami Executive Airport (KTMB), and Opa-locka Executive Airport (OPF).
Wisk will advise MDAD on the technical requirements of vertiports for autonomous operations, and work with the department to develop and design the infrastructure that will support future air taxi operations.
Having a major aviation department engaged in this way will help Wisk and other AAM companies ensure their needs are considered when planning and investment decisions are made. From electrical infrastructure to airspace management and airport development, considering future needs at an early stage will help MDAD airports lead the way in AAM.
Research and development in partnership with University of Miami
Complementing this agreement is a partnership with the University of Miami MEAMI.
The partners will collaborate on research and development that will further advance autonomous air mobility technology.
Research and development themes will include advanced technology, operations, regulations, safety and AAM development overall.
Alongside this, the partnership will explore the business case for autonomous mobility technology, and use the knowledge and facilities at the university to advance AAM in the USA.
“At the University of Miami, we are leveraging faculty expertise and cutting-edge research to help make autonomous air mobility a reality,” said Pratim Biswas, Dean of the University of Miami College of Engineering. “Through our collaboration with Wisk, we are advancing core technologies like advanced sensors and next-generation battery systems that are essential to making AAM safe and scalable.”
The Miami region joins Houston, Texas, Los Angeles County, California, and Brisbane, Australia as key launch markets in Wisk’s strategic plan to bring safe, everyday autonomous air travel to cities around the world.
