#22: Drones & Air Taxis

60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #22 – Drones & Air Taxis

We are asking everyone to send a new complaint – this time about drones and air taxis. Read on to find out how you can help prevent the noise pollution problem from getting even worse in Brisbane.

Catherine King, the Minister for Infrastructure & Transport, is pushing drones and air taxis. They are also referred to as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) – the use of emerging aviation technologies like eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles) for passenger and cargo transportation. The Australian Government, through its National Emerging Aviation Technologies Policy Statement, supports the adoption of AAM. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is already actively involved in supporting the roll-out of AAM and has signed a memorandum of understanding with relevant departments and agencies to foster growth in the sector. Although air taxis are not yet operational in Australia, preparations are underway.

The South East Queensland Council of Mayors has signed a memorandum of understanding with international air mobility company Wisk to bring autonomous flying taxis to the region by the 2032 Olympics. The proposal has drawn criticism as it has been drafted without any community engagement in order to obtain a social licence to operate, ignores noise pollution, and prioritises the wealthy whilst failing to address everyday transportation needs. The Brazilian company EmbraerX is also planning to bring air taxis to Australia, this time by 2026 in Melbourne, in a partnership with Airservices Australia.

Electric aviation – including hydrogen flights – won’t be introduced on long-haul flights anytime soon but may be viable for short routes, so the likely outcome is more planes in the sky servicing NEW routes that were not viable previously. Think: Brisbane to Gold Coast, or even: Archerfield to Toowoomba. The new Archerfield Airport Master Plan states that their priorities to the year 2030 are to encourage new aviation developments, including air taxis, freight, Advanced Air Mobility and emerging technologies, corporate aircraft and charter (private jets).

While air taxis are yet to arrive, drone delivery services are already here. Wing, a subsidiary of Alphabet (Google’s parent company), aims to develop a drone delivery-network technology capable of handling millions of orders within a year. The company is testing the technology at scale in Logan, Australia, where it delivers up to 1,000 packages daily. Despite the Logan test site causing a huge spike in noise complaints due to the concentrated flight paths over residential areas, Wing is aggressively expanding across South East Queensland, and have started operating in Ipswich and at the Gold Coast. These delivery drones travel at up to 100km/h and will add to the noise pollution at even lower altitudes with a high pitch buzzing mosquito noise profile. Furthermore, privatising the sky and granting control to companies like Wing raises questions about safety, public space and regulation.

Catherine King as the Minister, the South East Queensland Council of Mayors, and the executives of these start-ups all put their heads in the sand when it comes to responding to noise pollution concerns. We thus ask everyone to email them today and remind them of their obligation to first obtain a social licence to operate. BFPCA has made it easy with our new one-click complaint link specifically for drones & air taxis:

bfpca.org.au/drone-complain

This will open a pre-addressed email to all the senior hegemons including the following companies:

• Wing – drone delivery. CEO: Adam Woodworth
• Wisk – self-flying air taxi. CEO: Brian Yutko.
• Skyportz – a landing pad network for air taxis. CEO: Clem Newton-Brown.
• South East Queensland Council of Mayors – signed an MoU with Wisk. CEO: Scott Smith.
• Stralis – hydrogen electric aircraft. CEO: Bob Criner.

Do you want to know more? BFPCA has compiled an extensive submission on drones and air taxis to the Australian Government as well as the following news media coverage:

Drone Delivery

21/11/2019, ABC News:

That buzzing noise is not our problem, say Feds, but leading drone company disagrees

The noise of delivery drones has caused an outcry, but the leading company in the sector has concerns over safety issues if regulation is handed to the states.

04/10/2021, The Conversation:

Privatising the sky: drone delivery promises comfort and speed, but at a cost to workers and communities

Drone delivery company Wing is out to transform the sky – and Australia is at the forefront of its plans.

15/07/2022, The Verge

Alphabet’s Wing is working on larger drones that can handle heavier deliveries

Prototypes that can handle seven-pound packages.

30/09/2022, ABC News

Thousands without power after drone food delivery crashes into powerlines in a ‘first’

An Energex spokesman says, though many objects, including shoes, umbrellas, trampolines, kites and even toilet seats, have caused issues, it is “rare” for a drone to hit a powerline.

09/03/2023, BBC News

Google company unveils drone delivery-network ambition

Wing hopes the technology will soon be able to handle millions of deliveries.

20/04/2023, 9 NEWS

20/04/2023, 7 NEWS

Air Taxis

14/10/2021, ABC News

Aiming high: Aviation company says flying taxis over Brisbane in time for 2032 Olympics more than pie in the sky

They’re not commercial yet, but electric taxis are “flying, they’ve got people in them” and this company says the Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at Moreton Bay will be the perfect base.

21/07/2022, The Guardian

Flight of fancy: Queensland mayors’ plans for self-flying taxis spark questions and criticism

Air taxi company Wisk says it could fly passengers between Olympic venues if it receives necessary approvals

21/07/2022, Courier Mail

Historic deal to bring self-flying taxis to Brisbane skies

Autonomous aerial taxis could carry passengers through the skies of South East Queensland during the 2032 Olympic Games, in a major business deal inked ahead of the global event.

09/01/2023, The Guardian

Electric planes sound like a fantasy but they may be the future for short-haul in Australia

With net zero technologies for long-haul flights still far in the future, opportunities may lie with smaller operators

05/02/2023, Courier Mail

Brisbane to Sunny Coast in 22min: Self-flying taxis closer to takeoff

Self-flying taxis could whisk people from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast in 22 minutes, and become a major job-creating industry worth millions to South East Queensland’s economy in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic Games, according to a new report.

07/02/2023, Redland City Bulletin

Air taxis a potential ‘game changer’ for Redlands

The SEQ Council of Mayors have joined forces with Wisk Aero in a bold plan to introduce self-flying…