SkyGrid, based in Austin, is working with Port San Antonio to build Texas’s first vertiport. This is a big step toward bringing autonomous electric air taxis to the state.
The project will use almost $42 million in state and FAA grants to upgrade an airfield at Port San Antonio. The new vertiport will connect to Kelly Field and act as a testing center for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
SkyGrid was created in 2018 by Austin’s SparkCognition and Boeing. Now part of Wisk Aero, owned by Boeing, SkyGrid will supply advanced airspace integration software. This system uses radar, transponder data, AI, and powerful computers to help pilotless aircraft safely share busy airspace.
Jim Perschbach, CEO of the Port, said the mix of civil, commercial, and military aircraft at the site creates a unique and challenging place to test advanced air mobility systems.
Officials think test flights could take place at the site within the next 10 years, making Central Texas an early leader in autonomous aviation infrastructure.
This project shows that advanced air mobility is gaining momentum. Texas is investing in the infrastructure and AI systems needed for autonomous electric aircraft, which could change how the region handles transportation and aerospace innovation.
Source: KVUE / Austin-American Statesman
Original Story: https://www.kvue.com/article/money/business/skygrid-port-san-antonio-air-taxi-hub/269-e675b2fb-f2b7-481c-8ba1-8b2701f05465