Boeing has announced it is to invest a further $450 million (€399 million) in California-based eVTOL company Wisk Aero to support the development of future autonomous electric flying taxis.
Credit: Wisk Aero
Credit: Wisk Aero
Wisk Aero is owned by Boeing and Kittyhawk, the electric aviation firm founded by Google co-founder Larry Page. The Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company differs from its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) competitors in that it focuses on autonomous flight. The Boeing investment has made it one of the world's most well-funded AAM companies, Wisk said in a statement.
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Boeing CEO Marc Allen said the investment was a reconfirmation of the aerospace giant's belief in Wisk and its "pioneering all-electric, AI-driven, autonomous capability for the aerospace industry".
"Autonomy is the key to unlocking scale across all AAM applications, from passenger to cargo and beyond. That’s why straight-to-autonomy is a core first principle," he said in a press release.
The choice to leapfrog a generation of the piloted eVTOL aircraft currently under development by startups and established aerospace companies would entail a later entry onto the market than the 2024 target date that most of Wisk's competitors envisage.
While Boeing gave no date for what it is calling the sixth generation of Wisk passenger vehicle, industry sources have suggested it will be presented for certification in 2028.
Boeing said it would be the first autonomous passenger-carrying vehicle to be certified in the United States.
Wisk says it intends to operate one of the industry's largest fleets of AAM eVTOL aircraft. The company anticipates close to 14 million flights annually, with more than 40 million passengers across 20 cities in the US.
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Gary Gysin, Wisk CEO, said: "We are incredibly fortunate to have Boeing as not only an investor but a strategic partner, which provides us with access to a breadth of resources, industry-leading expertise, a global reach, extensive certification experience, and more.
"As we enter this next stage of our growth, this additional funding provides us with capital while allowing us to remain focused on our core business and our number one priority, safety."
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