"This is something that we all imagined as kids," Poelma said.
The sleek, self-flying aircraft drew a crowd of curious onlookers at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Wisk Aero, a California-based air mobility company, showcased the air taxi at the 2025 Xponential Conference. The company plans to establish the transit in the greater Houston area by the end of the decade.
Wisk signed a 12-month agreement with the Houston Airport System and the city of Sugar Land last year to support the strategic planning efforts needed to launch the new form of air transportation.
Wisk's collaboration with Houston Airports and Sugar Land consisted of identifying and assessing potential locations for developing infrastructure for air taxi operations at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport, Ellington Airport and Sugar Land Regional Airport.
"I do believe that with this new technology in the aviation industry, people are going to be able to travel to farther places quicker, and it'll also help alleviate some of that traffic," said Elizabeth Rosenbaum, assistant city manager of the city of Sugar Land, who also attended the convention.
Wisk also plans to extend the agreements with both cities, according to Emilien Marchand, director of ecosystems partnerships.
What does the self-flying air taxi look like?
Wisk developed its all-electric, four-passenger vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) Generation 6 air taxi.
Inside are four white seats with yellow seat belts and four screens that allow passengers to view the route as the aircraft navigates to the destination.
There are also cupholders and charging ports for electronic devices.
The aircraft's exterior is a bright yellow, the well-known color of a taxi. There is also a compartment in the front where passengers can place their luggage. The name "Wisk" is shown on the side of the aircraft. The wings of the aircraft also have gray propellers.
Marchand said Wisk's aircraft is trying to tackle two challenges in the aviation industry: noise and emissions. The air taxi's structure includes a battery and propellers designed to be quiet during takeoff and landing. Since the aircraft is battery-powered, Marchand said it's a sustainable mode of transportation.
Ben Barani, chief operating officer at Oransi, said it was his first time hearing about Wisk, but not the development of self-flying taxis.
"I think they're definitely beneficial, especially big cities," he said.
How do the self-flying taxis work?
Passengers will book flights through Wisk's website or app. Once they book online, they can walk, bike, or drive to the location of the vertiports — places where the aircraft can land and take off vertically.
The company revealed proposed flight pathways to the Houston Chronicle, showing six vertiport locations in the Houston area and nine routes.
Marchand said Wisk has been collaborating with the Houston Airports and the Federal Aviation Administration to determine the best places to land the aircraft without affecting commercial traffic.
"No routes have yet been approved by the FAA," he said.
Wisk offered attendees a chance to wear virtual reality headsets to simulate riding in the aircraft traveling from the center to IAH. From the sky, attendees could see Daikin Park and the nearby Marriott Hotel in downtown Houston.
The virtual experience also showed examples of how the vertiport would look on top of the center or near the airport during landing or takeoff.
Plans for an emergency situation?
Wisk plans to have a person supervise multiple flights remotely at a fleet operation center instead of having a pilot on each aircraft. Marchand said this could reduce the cost of operations, which they could pass on to customers and make flights cheaper and more accessible.
"The person will make sure the flight path is clear before the aircraft flies," he said.
Marchand noted that once routes are approved, designated emergency landing zones will be established along the flight paths.
What's the status of the self-flying taxis?
Wisk, Houston Airports and Sugar Land are still in their planning stages.
Marchand said they will continue to actively look into the locations and the infrastructure needed, including providing enough electricity at the potential sites to charge the aircraft.
"This is the future. And it was exciting because advanced Air Mobility was something that was addressed in our airport master plan," Rosenbaum said.
© 2025 the Houston Chronicle. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
