Wisk Aero, a California-based Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company and pioneer in autonomous, electric flight, has unveiled the world’s first self-flying, all-electric, four-passenger vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi.
Backed by The Boeing Company and Kitty Hawk Corporation, the company claims that Wisk’s 6th Generation air taxi is designed to meet and exceed rigorous commercial safety standards.
Further, through its strategic partnership with Boeing, Wisk has a competitive advantage leveraging 100+ years of Boeing expertise in aircraft development, scale manufacturing, and certification. It’s worth mentioning here that. Wisk is not alone in this air taxi field as various companies globally are working on it.
Specifications
According to the company, Wisk’s 6th Generation aircraft is an upgraded version of its previous five generations of eVTOL aircraft. The 6th-gen aircraft has a cruising speed of 120 knots and a range of 90 miles (144 kilometers) with reserves.
The 4-seater electric flight can fly between 2,500 – 4,000 ft above ground. Also, the flight can operate autonomously with human oversight.
Design aspects
The 6th-Gen Wisk air taxi features a proprietary 12 propeller design and boom configuration with improved propulsion systems.
Wisk Aero claims that tilting propulsion units in front of the wing and fixed lift units of the wing are optimised for range, improved aircraft control and performance, and efficient energy management.
Unlike the previous version, the latest one has a raised wing design, extended booms, and increased size and number of propeller blades to improve safety, stability, and the passenger experience.
Wisk’s 6th Generation aircraft is designed to be a service for everyone, with a price target of $3 per passenger, per mile.
Advanced air mobility
Earlier this year, the company raised $450 million in funding from The Boeing Company, making it one of the most well-funded AAM companies in the world.
Based out of San Francisco, Wisk is an advanced air mobility (AAM) company that aims to safely and sustainably shape the future of daily commutes and urban travel. Recently, London-based Skyports, an urban air mobility infrastructure provider also raised $23 million to develop its air taxi.
Wisk began in 2010 as Zee Aero, with a mission to deliver safe, everyday flight for everyone, and later merged with Kitty Hawk Corporation.
Wisk anticipates close to 14M annual flights bringing time savings to over 40 million people across 20 cities – all with zero emissions.
“In 2010, we set out to find a way to skip traffic and get to our destination faster,” says Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “That inspiration evolved into a mission to deliver safe, everyday flight for everyone. Over the past 12 years, we’ve pursued that mission through the development of five different generations of full-scale aircraft. Our 6th Generation aircraft is the culmination of years of hard work from our industry-leading team, learnings from our previous generations of aircraft, commitment from our investors, and the evolution and advancement of technology.”
