Wisk and NASA Simulate Management of Autonomous Aircraft Alongside Conventional Air Traffic
Wisk Aero has announced the successful completion of a joint simulation with NASA evaluating whether a single ground supervisor can simultaneously manage three autonomous aircraft while operating alongside conventional air traffic under existing ATC tools and procedures. The test, conducted under a five-year Non-Reimbursable Space Act Agreement, marks a key milestone toward integrating autonomous aircraft into the U.S. National Airspace System under Instrument Flight Rules.
Highlights
- Wisk Aero and NASA successfully completed a joint simulation validating that one ground supervisor can manage three autonomous aircraft simultaneously alongside conventional air traffic under existing ATC procedures.
- The test was conducted under Wisk and NASA's five-year Non-Reimbursable Space Act Agreement (NRSAA), focused on integrating autonomous aircraft into the U.S. NAS under IFR.
- The high-fidelity simulation linked Wisk's Autonomy Lab in Mountain View, CA with NASA Ames' Future Flight Central, a 360-degree full-scale airport simulation facility.
- Wisk's 1:3 supervisor-to-aircraft ratio was validated for the first time in a high-workload environment, using the NASA Task Load Index and Bedford Workload Scale to measure performance.
- Findings will be used to develop standardized ATC communication procedures and inform future policy frameworks, including digitized and automated flight rules for scalable autonomous operations.
Wisk and NASA Simulate Management of Autonomous Aircraft Alongside Conventional Air Traffic
Wisk Aero has announced the successful completion of a joint simulation with NASA designed to evaluate whether a single ground supervisor — such as Wisk's Multi-Vehicle Supervisor (MVSor) — can simultaneously and effectively manage three autonomous aircraft while operating alongside conventional air traffic, with air traffic control (ATC) continuing to use its existing tools and procedures.
In its press release, Wisk stated: "This marks a critical milestone for the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector, demonstrating that Wisk is actively building the foundational ecosystem required to achieve safe and scalable autonomous flight."
A Major Outcome Under a Five-Year Agreement
The simulation represents the latest significant advance under Wisk's five-year Non-Reimbursable Space Act Agreement (NRSAA) with NASA, which focuses on integrating autonomous aircraft into the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS) under an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) framework.
High-Fidelity Simulation Environment
The exercise was conducted by linking Wisk's Autonomy Lab in Mountain View, California, with NASA Ames Research Center's air traffic control simulation facility, Future Flight Central — a two-story structure providing a 360-degree, full-scale airport simulation environment.
Test flight paths were set within the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically along planned IFR routes between Moffett Federal Airfield (KNUQ) and San Martin Airport (E16).
Wisk explained: "In this human-in/over-the-loop simulation, air traffic controllers collaborated with Wisk supervisors to evaluate a range of complex nominal and contingency scenarios jointly designed by Wisk and NASA. The exercise was intended not only to rehearse standardized procedures under normal conditions, but also to test Wisk's methodology across multiple contingency situations. By assessing worst-case scenario performance, Wisk validated the resilience and capability of its methodology in supporting scalable operations."
1:3 Supervisor-to-Aircraft Ratio Passes High-Intensity Test for First Time
Erick Corona, Wisk's Head of Systems and Operations Integration, commented: "This is an exciting milestone for Wisk — it is the first time we have jointly tested a 1:3 supervisor-to-aircraft ratio with NASA in a high-fidelity, high-workload environment that truly reflects the complexity of the National Airspace System. Wisk is not just building an autonomous aircraft; we are working closely with organizations like NASA to advance the maturity and modernization of the entire aviation ecosystem. Demonstrating that a single ground supervisor can safely and efficiently manage multiple aircraft in flight is critical to making commercial air taxi services scalable and affordable. We are deeply grateful for the professionalism, expertise, and commitment of the NASA team."
Data Collection and Future Policy Frameworks
The simulation utilized Wisk's Remote Supervision System and autonomous systems to seamlessly manage navigation and communications operations. The research team collected precise data on communication response times, task delays, situational awareness, and cognitive workload using the NASA Task Load Index and the Bedford Workload Scale.
Data and research findings generated from these joint exercises will help establish standardized communication procedures, reduce workload for both air traffic controllers and pilots, and lay the groundwork for future policy frameworks — including how to streamline communication processes and ultimately digitize them, for example through automated flight rules.
Wisk and NASA will continue joint research and testing on the integration of autonomous aircraft into the NAS. By demonstrating that human-supervised autonomous flight can safely handle complex air traffic coordination scenarios, Wisk has taken a significant step toward making safe, autonomous air travel a part of everyday life.
More information: https://wisk.aero/newsroom/wisk-and-nasa-simulate-multi-aircraft-operations
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