FutureFlight
Wisk and Skyports Issue Concept of Operations for Autonomous eVTOL Aircraft Flights
The concept of operations document spells out how autonomous aircraft could be safely integrated with new and existing vertiports and also with drones and piloted aircraft.
Skyports is developing plans for networks of vertiports to support eVTOL air taxi services.
New vertiports developed by companies like Skyports are expected to be used for eVTOL air taxi services that could include fully-autonomous aircraft like that being developed by Wisk Aero. (Image: Skyports)

Wisk Aero is advancing its plans for fully autonomous eVTOL air transport services through a new partnership with ground infrastructure and drone operations group Skyports. Announcing their collaboration on April 12, the companies published a draft concept of operations (ConOps) that they say is the first such document to map out how autonomous aircraft can be integrated with vertiports and how they will interact with the so-called providers of services for urban air mobility (PSUs).

Over the past couple of years, California-based Wisk has flight-tested its Cora two-seat autonomous eVTOL vehicle in the U.S. and New Zealand, logging more than 1,550 flights with this vehicle and earlier designs. It says it is working on a larger and possibly longer-range eVTOL aircraft but has declined to publish any performance details or specifications.