Brisbane 2032 Olympics: Self-piloted drones earmarked for 30 Queensland sites

Ambitious plans are forming to have passengers transported via autonomous air taxi to 30 locations across southeast Queensland before the start of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Here’s how it would work.

Wellcamp Airport has been announced as the trial site for the next generation of autonomous air taxis that will ferry passengers across southeast Queensland.

The program is a collaboration between Skyports Infrastructure and the Wagner Corporation and will use self-piloted, electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxis.

They are best described as drones that are large enough to ride in.

Wagner Corporation boss John Wagner said Wellcamp would be used as the test site while the team worked to identify about 30 sites for future skyports.

Wisk Aero is the world’s first all-electric, autonomous, four-seat eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) air taxi designed for passenger transport. The company has partnered with Skyports to bring the technology to Queensland. Picture Wisk Aero

“They are like Uber of the air,” he said.

“They can fly without pilots, they are totally autonomous, you can get in and out of places where helicopters can’t, they are quieter and they are totally electric so they don’t use fossil fuels.

“They are the thing of the future.”

Wagner Corporation will identify suitable real estate assets from its portfolio, while Skyports will evaluate these sites for design, operational, and commercial feasibility.

The partnership will also work to expand the advanced air mobility with third parties.

Mr Wagner said his aim was to have the air taxis operational in time for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

John Wagner said he hoped to have the air taxis operational in time for the Brisbane Olympics. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“The technology is still in the testing phase, but they air taxis in Dubai and the US,” he said.

“We have been working on this for a few years and it is pretty exciting stuff for Queensland.”

Skyports recently announced a partnership with aircraft manufacturer Wisk Aero to provide aircraft for the Southeast Queensland network.

Yun-Yuan Tay, Head of Asia-Pacific at Skyports Infrastructure, said the company was committed to bringing air taxi services to Queensland and the wider Australian market.

“Our partnership with Wagner Corporation brings essential local knowledge in airport development, construction, and real estate, which, combined with our vertiport infrastructure experience, will catalyse the launch of air taxi operations,” he said.

“With our existing partnership with the leading autonomous eVTOL company Wisk Aero, advanced air mobility is heating up in Australia!”

Wisk is a Californian aerospace manufacturer that was formed out of a partnership between Boeing and Google co-founder Larry Page’s Kitty Hawk aircraft company.

Originally published as Brisbane 2032 Olympics: Self-piloted drones earmarked for 30 Queensland sites