Flying taxis could be soaring through our skies in time for the 2032 Olympics under a futuristic plan being unveiled today.
An air mobility company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Council of Mayors SEQ to work on developing the autonomous taxi service across Brisbane.
WISK has developed an all-electric, self-flying air taxi that it hopes to have in service in the next ten years.
“So this is powered by a battery, takes off and lands vertically and then flies forward on the wing to make sure that it’s safe,” WISK Asia Pacific Director Cathy Macgowan told Nine.
“We are going to be working with Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other key partners here in Australia to make sure that it’s got to integrate with other transport systems and people can have confidence in this new form of transport.
“The aircraft will just have passengers on board and there’ll be someone who is more like an air traffic controller on the ground, making sure the aircraft is moving safely between to its destination and taking care of anything that might happen along the way.”
IMAGE: Supplied
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says they’re thrilled to be working with WISK to capitalise on new jobs and economic opportunities.
“We expect to see the emergence of advanced air technology in places like Singapore, Paris and Los Angeles, and by 2032, I’d love to see it supporting new and innovative experiences for tourism and travel
right here in South East Queensland,” Cr Shcrinner said.
“While there’s still plenty of work to do around regulation and safety, the prospect of having autonomous air taxis operating throughout our region and between venues during the Brisbane2032 Games is really
exciting.”
