California-based autonomous eVTOL air taxi developer Wisk Aero and the South East Queensland Council of Mayors (COMSEQ) have published a white paper describing the opportunities and benefits that advanced air mobility (AAM) can bring to the Australian region.
COMSEQ and Wisk have been working together to introduce AAM in Australia since July of 2022 when the two entities signed a memorandum of understanding in which they pledged to collaborate in support of accessible, autonomous, and sustainable flight options in South East Queensland.
Brisbane, the capital of South East Queensland and the region's most populous city, has already been identified as a likely early adopter of eVTOL operations, with some plans hinging on the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games that the city will host. Several companies, including Melbourne-based Skyportz, have been preparing to develop vertiports to support those air taxi operations.
South East Queensland is one of the fastest-growing areas in Australia. It covers about 35,248 sq km (13,609 sq mi) in the easternmost part of the country. It has a population of about 3.8 million, and that’s expected to grow to 5.4 million by 2041. A study by COMSEQ in 2019 found that the demand for transportation services in the region is expected to increase by 30 percent by 2031.
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