“The MoU lays the foundation for incorporating safe, autonomous air taxi travel into Australia’s airspace,” according to the companies.
In 2022, Wisk established an MoU with the Council of Mayors (SEQ), Australia’s largest regional local government advocacy organization, and most recently, Wisk expanded its partnership with Skyports Infrastructure to identify an Entry-into-Service (EIS) network for Wisk’s autonomous aircraft ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Wisk Australia Pty Ltd has also recently been established to lead the EIS of Wisk in Australia and will lead the engagement with Airservices under this MoU.
Specifically, the MoU establishes a framework for:
- Evaluating initiatives that will incorporate autonomous air mobility networks into Australia,
- Exploring how advanced air mobility, and in particular uncrewed, remotely supervised aircraft can be integrated into the Australian national airspace,
- Providing a forum for discussion on challenges and opportunities for development by identifying potential projects, and
- Collaborating and knowledge-sharing activities to improve practices related to autonomous air mobility networks.
Activities expected to be conducted under this MoU also include the workshops, and simulations to understand how AAM systems and Airservices systems will integrate into the national airspace.
Airservices plans to establish a Flight Information Management System (FIMS). “The development of a FIMS is critical for enhancing safety and for integrating AAM into a fully coordinated and seamless airspace,” said the company press release. “This integrated airspace approach is essential for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of all users, both traditional and emerging.”
“Wisk Australia will collaborate closely with Airservices to explore airspace procedures for autonomous aircraft, digital flight approvals, and time and trajectory-based operations, as well as how these procedures will operate within newly established vertiport environments. Together, this MoU aims to set standards for the safe and efficient integration of AAM into the national airspace system.”
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