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Wisk Establishes Miami as Early Market for U.S. Air Taxi Operations

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Wisk Establishes Miami as Early Market for U.S. Air Taxi Operations
News

News

Wisk Establishes Miami as Early Market for U.S. Air Taxi Operations

2025-06-16 13:58 Last Updated At:14:11

PARIS & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 16, 2025--

Wisk Aero, a leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company and developer of the first all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the U.S., today announced the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) – one with the Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) and another with the University of Miami’s Engineering Autonomy Mobility Initiative (MEAMI). These collaborations mark a significant step towards integrating safe, autonomous air travel to Miami, Florida, one of the nation's largest metropolitan areas.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250615720362/en/

The MOU with MDAD focuses on strategic planning, infrastructure development, policy pathways, and the commercialization of autonomous AAM in Miami-Dade County and at MDAD airports. Under the terms of the MoU,

The MOU with the University of Miami MEAMI establishes a framework for collaborative research and development that will further advance autonomous mobility technology. Under the terms of the MoU, Wisk and MEAMI will:

"Miami has demonstrated long-standing support for AAM, making it a natural fit for future Wisk operations,” said Sebastien Vigneron, CEO of Wisk. "We're incredibly excited to deepen our roots here with both the Miami Dade Aviation Department and the University of Miami. These partnerships are helping us build the entire AAM ecosystem and unlock the full potential of autonomous operations at scale so we can bring safe, everyday flight to everyone.”

“I am extremely excited about this historic first step toward making Miami-Dade County one of the first areas in the country with advanced air mobility,” said Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Mayor. “This collaboration with Wisk allows us to strategically plan for the future of air travel, enhance connectivity, and explore new economic opportunities for Miami-Dade County. MIA is the busiest airport in Florida and the second busiest in the country for international passengers, which makes it the perfect launch site for AAM.”

“At the University of Miami, we are leveraging faculty expertise and cutting-edge research to help make autonomous air mobility a reality,” said Pratim Biswas, Dean of the University of Miami College of Engineering. “Through our collaboration with Wisk, we are advancing core technologies like advanced sensors and next-generation battery systems that are essential to making AAM safe and scalable. This partnership exemplifies how academic innovation and industry leadership can come together to make autonomous urban flight possible.”

Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami have been national leaders in local planning for AAM, bringing together industry and government. Wisk has been championing AAM in the Greater Miami region for the past couple of years as an inaugural member of the Florida Department of Transportation's AAM Advisory Council. Wisk was a contributing author to the Council’s "AAM Land Use Compatibility and Site Approval Guidebook," the "AAM Working Group Final Report," and the "AAM Implementation and Outreach Plan.”

The Miami region joins Houston, Texas, Los Angeles County, California, and Brisbane, Australia as key launch markets in Wisk's strategic plan to bring safe, everyday autonomous air travel to cities around the world.

About Wisk

Wisk is an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company dedicated to creating a future for air travel that elevates people, communities, and aviation. Wisk is developing the first autonomous, passenger-carrying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi in the U.S. Wisk is a wholly-owned Boeing subsidiary and is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with locations around the world. With over a decade of experience and over 1750+ test flights, Wisk is shaping the future of daily commutes and urban travel, safely and sustainably. Learn more about Wisk here.

Wisk establishes Miami as early market for air taxi operations

Wisk establishes Miami as early market for air taxi operations

KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Emergency crews suspended their search for victims of catastrophic flooding in central Texas on Sunday morning amid new warnings that additional rain would again cause waterways to surge.

It was the first time a new round of severe weather has paused the search since the flooding earlier this month.

Ingram Fire Department officials ordered search crews to immediately evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor in Kerr County until further notice, warning the potential for a flash flood is high.

Search-and-rescue teams have been searching for missing victims of the July 4 weekend flooding that killed at least 129 people and left more than 170 missing.

As heavy rain fell Sunday, National Weather Service forecasters warned that the Guadalupe River could rise to nearly 15 feet (4.6 meters) by Sunday afternoon, about five feet above flood stage and enough to put the Highway 39 bridge near Hunt under water.

“Numerous secondary roads and bridges are flooded and very dangerous,” a weather service warning said.

The destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe River in just 45 minutes before daybreak on July 4, washing away homes and vehicles. Ever since, searchers have used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads.

More than 160 people still are believed to be missing, and at least 118 have died in the floods that laid waste to the Hill Country region of Texas. The riverbanks and hills of Kerr County are filled with vacation cabins, youth camps and campgrounds, including Camp Mystic, the century-old all-girls Christian summer camp.

Located in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe River in a region known as flash flood alley, Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counselors and longtime owner Dick Eastland.

The flood was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said, and moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system.

The sheer amount of rain was overwhelming. Former NOAA chief scientist Ryan Maue, a private meteorologist, calculated on July 5 that the storm had dropped 120 billion gallons of water on Kerr County, which received the brunt of the storm.

This summer, flash flooding driven by bursts of heavy rain turned deadly elsewhere in Texas. In San Antonio in June, more than 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain fell over a span of hours, prompting dozens of rescues from the fast-rising floodwaters and killing at least 13.

Search and rescue teams comb the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Search and rescue teams comb the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Search and rescue teams comb the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Search and rescue teams comb the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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