As Advanced Air Mobility moves from concept to commercial viability, safe integration into shared airspace remains a critical industry hurdle. Brenden Hedblom, Head of Product at SkyGrid, sat down with Erick Corona, former Head of Airspace & Operational Integration at Wisk, to discuss how the two companies are collaborating to make safe, scalable autonomous flight a reality.
Watch the full conversation here.
What is Wisk’s vision for the future of aviation?
Erick: Wisk is developing an all-electric, self-flying aircraft to address the urban air mobility market. We are convinced that autonomy is at the core of delivering safe everyday flight for everybody. The future of aviation is autonomous, and Wisk is building a foundation where autonomy drives both safety and scale for these emerging markets.
What is SkyGrid’s approach to airspace integration?
Brenden: At SkyGrid, we are approaching airspace integration by developing a highly assured platform that spans the full spectrum—from secure data provisioning and high-integrity surveillance information to strategic and tactical real-time decision support services.
For fleet operators, Air Navigation Service Providers, and ecosystem stakeholders, our solution delivers a comprehensive common operating picture that empowers real-time situational awareness and informed decision-making. From anticipating weather and traffic hazards to supporting active flight operations, our system is built on uncompromising cybersecurity and a foundational layer of safety. This holistic approach is essential for developing future airspace operations, enabling global deployment opportunities, and sustaining the testing and operational validation necessary for the future of flight.
How do you see SkyGrid’s technology supporting Wisk’s integrated vision of autonomy?
Erick: It comes down to a holistic strategy backed by true engineering efforts through vertical integration. We’re taking tested and proven technologies and engineering them, configuring them, and integrating them into a unified system. This spans strategic planning, flight execution, onboard systems, deconfliction management, and seamless coordination with air traffic control.
Wisk views autonomy as a means of delivering accessible and scalable services, and that means going from Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) to a fully integrated airspace under Instrument Flight Rules, and then eventually higher density operations. We cannot achieve that scale without the common operating picture SkyGrid delivers. In a nutshell, SkyGrid enables the shared vision we have as companies.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of autonomous flight?
Brenden: The strong partnership between SkyGrid and Wisk positions us to overcome challenges and unlock the immense potential of autonomous flight. While Wisk develops the Gen 6 eVTOL, it can do so with confidence that the digital infrastructure necessary to support, enable, and scale operations is being developed, ultimately allowing us to redefine how we connect and move.