Potential First-Ever Candidate For Autonomous Pax-Carrying Certification

Wisk Aero, developer of autonomous aircraft, announced the successful completion of the first flight of its Generation 6 aircraft, a critical step forward in the company’s quest to deliver the first certified, autonomous passenger carrying eVTOL aircraft to market in the U.S. Wisk is the only developer that has designed, built, and flown six generations of eVTOL vehicles.

The aircraft performed its initial vertical takeoff, hover, and stabilized flight maneuvers at the company’s flight test facility in Hollister, California. The first flight validated the core flight systems of the aircraft and is an essential first step in progressing to a comprehensive flight test campaign. This Generation 6 aircraft is the one Wisk identifies in its certification application and is relying on in its certification project.

Sebastien Vigneron, CEO of Wisk said, “This first flight is the moment our team has been working toward, and it is a powerful demonstration of the work, expertise, and commitment that have gone into the Gen 6 program. Seeing Gen 6 take flight is an exciting moment for Wisk and the future of aviation. It reaffirms our belief in autonomy, and we are even more energized to continue the journey to bring safe, everyday flight to everyone.”

Wisk used the knowledge gleaned from the previous five generations of aircraft and over 1700 test flights to refine the development of the Gen 6 model. It is the first-ever FAA certification candidate for a commercial autonomous passenger aircraft in the U.S. Its launch markets include Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami.

Brian Yutko, VP of Product Development at Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Chairman of the Board at Wisk said, “We are excited to see Wisk achieve this milestone, and I’m so proud of the team that made it possible. The team at Wisk has built advanced technologies across flight controls, sensing, navigation, mission management, electric power, systems integration, and many others for a product that is designed to meet a rigorous safety case for a focused concept of operations. The engineering methods and technologies are all a valuable source of insight for Boeing as we work together and thoughtfully apply them to the future of flight.”

Wisk is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boeing, and the two companies collaborate closely on the development of Wisk aircraft.

FMI:  wisk.aero/ , www.boeing.com/