Simulation plays a critical role in validating the safety and reliability of autonomous flight. Shilpa Jha leads the team behind this work as Wisk’s Autonomy Simulation Manager.
Shilpa and her team are responsible for validating Wisk’s onboard autonomy using advanced simulations. Her work plays a key role in ensuring our self-flying aircraft performs safely and reliably in real-world airspace.
“The most inspiring aspect of my role is knowing that the simulations we create are directly contributing to the integration and validation of the onboard autonomy, and also the remote supervision system that is in the loop being monitored from the ground,” Shilpa says.
Before joining Wisk, Shilpa worked at Aurora Flight Sciences, where she contributed to a program called Autonomy Core. The goal was to build foundational technologies that enable autonomous flight across a range of aircraft. That mission led her to Wisk.
Today, her team runs complex simulations that mirror real-world flight conditions—from routine missions to edge cases—to build confidence in the autonomy system.
“We have a general saying on the autonomy team: ‘we sim it before we fly it.’ It speaks to how essential simulation is in proving out our system’s capabilities.”
Shilpa emphasizes that the work isn’t just about validating software. It’s about building trust. Her team ensures that the autonomy system can detect its environment, make decisions, and execute safe operations without a pilot onboard.
“We’re not just building an aircraft. We’re developing an autonomous system that can safely transport people,” she adds.
Shilpa credits the strength of Wisk’s culture and team. “We have world-class engineers with deep industry knowledge who are really dedicated to the mission,” she says. “There’s a strong culture of knowledge sharing and support, and it’s also just a really fun group.”
We are grateful for Shilpa’s leadership and contributions that help bring Wisk’s vision of autonomous flight to life.