Wisk Aero and the City of Sugar Land, Texas have announced a partnership to bring autonomous Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to the Greater Houston region.
As part of this undertaking, Wisk and Sugar Land will identify a location at the Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR) to develop vertiport infrastructure for Wisk’s autonomous air taxi operations.
This will pave the way for establishing a larger network across the Greater Houston region.
Wisk CEO, Brian Yutko, said:The Greater Houston area is experiencing some of the highest population growth in the country, which calls for new and efficient ways to move across the region. Sugar Land’s strategic location within the Greater Houston region, and its forward-thinking city leadership, make it an ideal partner for us and one that is uniquely positioned as an early leader in the launch of air taxi services. We look forward to working with Sugar Land, local ecosystem stakeholders, and the FAA on both ground and air infrastructure, as we bring autonomous air taxi services to the Greater Houston region.
Throughout the partnership, Wisk will provide advice on technical needs for autonomous electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations. This will include considerations relating to infrastructure, training, ground operational procedures and plans for potential site expansion.
Meanwhile, Sugar Land will focus on integrating AAM into its long-term plans. The city will engage with the community to establish operational policies, such as infrastructure permitting and noise levels.
Sugar Land City Manager, Michael W. Goodrum, said:Sugar Land is committed to blazing new trails, and I believe our relentless approach has caught the attention of the private sector as we’ve sought innovative solutions to mobility in our community through efforts like Advanced Air Mobility. We are excited to partner with Wisk Aero on a new concept that just might change the way we travel — not only in our city but across the world.
Sugar Land is a great place to start in the Houston region, because we want to be a city where innovation is second nature, where creativity is encouraged and where change is embraced. We couldn’t ask for a better partner than Wisk Aero to join us on this journey.
The two organisations plan to incorporate maintenance and training facilities in Sugar Land.
They will also engage local and regional stakeholders to develop routes that connect Sugar Land to the Greater Houston region, such as downtown Houston and the Houston Airport System.
Texas State Representative David Cook, said:I am thrilled to see a leading AAM Company like Wisk commit to the future of Advanced Air Mobility here in Texas. These public-private partnerships are exactly what we hoped would result from the passage of our legislation during the 88th Legislative Session and solidifies Texas as a leader in this new technology space.
