Results for: wisk

Wisk Aero, an Advanced Air Mobility company, and Japan Airlines (JAL), a prominent international airline based in Japan, are partnering to bring Wisk’s self-flying, all-electric air taxi services to Japan. Additionally, Wisk and JAL Engineering (JALEC), will work closely together to develop plans for the maintenance and operation of Wisk’s autonomous air taxis.

“We are excited to be partnering with Japan Airlines, a highly-respected leader in aviation both in Japan and globally,” says Brian Yutko, CEO of Wisk. “Wisk and Japan Airlines share a commitment to safe, accessible transportation and to ensuring that our services provide long-term benefit to the communities that we serve. We look forward to working together to bring autonomous everyday flight to Japan and to further advancing Advanced Air Mobility in the broader APAC region.”

“We are very honored to partner with Wisk, a pioneer in autonomous eVTOL aircraft development. In Japan, the introduction of autonomous air travel is developing and we strongly feel that this partnership with Wisk is the first step towards the development of the next generation of safe air mobility in Japan,” says Ryo Tamura, CEO of JALEC.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed that establishes a framework for collaboration between the two companies, as well as between the two companies and the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), and other relevant Japanese Government agencies. This will include careful consideration of regulatory requirements, safety measures, and how the community can benefit from advanced air mobility through the use of Wisk’s 6th Generation self-flying, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Specifically, the MOU establishes a framework for:

• Research towards launching fleet operations for Wisk’s 6th Generation taxi, including: type certification approval in Japan and maintenance, repair and overhaul requirements
• Supporting discussion with the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) and relevant Japanese Government agencies, as appropriate, on the establishment of a Wisk operation under an Air Operators Certificate in Japan in the future
• Development of a path to a demonstration flight in Japan
• Introduction of autonomous aircraft into the Japanese national airspace system

“We are thrilled to be announcing this new partnership with Japan Airlines, a partner that so closely shares our values,” says Catherine MacGowan, Wisk’s APAC Regional Director. “Japan represents a large, densely populated market where air taxi services can provide real, positive impact for local communities. We look forward to further pursuing the potential introduction of our self-flying, all-electric air taxis in Japan, and are encouraged by the growing interest within the broader APAC region for these types of services.”

Why it’s important: Japan Airlines and Wisk share a commitment to safety, sustainability, and responsibility. This partnership represents the joining of these shared values to develop an enduring approach to the introduction of future autonomous air taxi operations that are part of the future integrated transportation layer in Japan. As a nation, Japan is heavily committed to a future with advanced air mobility as a key component of its transportation infrastructure.

Related:

• Seaglider manufacturer REGENT secures investment from Japan Airlines
• ANA Holdings and Joby Partner to Bring Air Taxi Service to Japan

Wisk has announced the latest generation of its eVTOL aircraft, the 6th in the company’s history. Generation 6, as dubbed by Wisk, will be the first-ever candidate for FAA certification of an autonomous, passenger-carrying eVTOL air taxi and its go-to-market configuration.

“In 2010, we set out to find a way to skip traffic and get to our destination faster,” said 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.”

Above: Generation 6’s newly designed interior with room for 4 passengers and baggage.

Unlike many other new eVTOL firms, Wisk has designed for autonomous flight from its start and has integrated this philosophy into its technical and business strategy. New terminology for this concept of operations has needed to be created, including multi-vehicle supervisors who will act as a human interface, overseeing several flights at once with the ability to intervene if an in-flight failure is encountered.

According to the company, Wisk’s 6th Generation aircraft has been designed with a tremendous amount of thought toward safety, comfort, and overall passenger experience. Generation 6 builds upon previous Wisk prototypes and is capable of carrying 4 passengers autonomously over a distance of 90 miles at 120 knots. Generation 6 also boasts a new, upsized cabin which allows ample storage for baggage and personal carry-on items, with improved passive noise reduction.

Wisk’s 6th Generation aircraft is also designed to be affordable, with a price target of $3 per passenger per mile. If target operating costs are achieved, Generation 6 could be comparable to the price of an ground based ride-hailing service like Uber or Lyft, depending on distance and traffic.

Why it matters: Focusing on autonomy truly unlocks the scale and full potential for the broader aerial mobility industry. As the first certification candidate for a self-flying vehicle to the FAA, Wisk has an opportunity to forge unprecedented advancements. Backed by Boeing’s 100+ year history in aerospace, Wisk may use the Generation 6 to entirely change the way we fly and travel.

Bay Area-based Wisk Aero is continuing its global expansion with the launch of a new engineering hub in Montreal, Canada. The hub will be dedicated to the ongoing development of its 6th generation aircraft (to be revealed later this year).

Related: Wisk’s 6th Generation eVTOL revealed on CBS’s 60 Minutes

Since 2010, the air taxi company has been working toward that mission by designing, developing, and testing five generations of aircraft, and now they are developing their 6th and possibly final iteration, which will have four seats. Much of the company’s work so far has been performed in “stealth mode,” staying out of the public eye, but on April 17th, the 6th generation aircraft made a public debut on the show 60 Minutes with Anderson Cooper.

Wisk is now preparing to launch a new hub with existing Montreal-based personnel and intends to grow this presence to approximately thirty employees by the end of the year. Wisk has been experiencing rapid growth, driven by a tremendous increase in interest for its mission and technology. The company’s new Montreal hub is part of a broader effort to further expand its global team of industry-leading talent around the world.

“We are excited about the launch of our new Montreal hub,” said Sebastien Vigneron, Sr. Vice President of Engineering and Programs. “Canada’s forward-looking approach to aviation and interest in AAM, combined with its pool of experienced aerospace talent, make it an ideal location for Wisk as we expand our global footprint. This expansion highlights the increasing global interest in our mission to bring safe, everyday flight to everyone, and we look forward to continuing that mission with support from our new Montreal-based hub.”

The announcement of the new Montreal hub follows Wisk’s recent expansion into Australia. In addition to Montreal and its headquarters and facilities around the San Francisco Bay Area, Wisk now has a presence in Atlanta (Georgia), New Zealand, and Australia.

Why it’s important: Wisk has accumulated over a decade of experience and over 1550 test flights, and in doing so is shaping the future of daily commutes and urban travel, safely and sustainably. Expansion of operations overseas is integral to the company – and the aerial mobility industry, in general – achieving economies of scale. This will ultimately lead to commercial services becoming a financially feasible endeavor for operators and pricing to be a competitive level for global consumers.

Source // Wisk press release

Wisk, the Bay Area air taxi company backed by Boeing and Kitty Hawk, recently had the opportunity to share its vision with Anderson Cooper on an episode of 60 Minutes. The nationwide televised episode also revealed that the newest iteration of Wisk’s eVTOL aircraft – the vehicle for which Wisk plans to obtain type certification from the FAA – will have four seats. 

Watch the episode here.

Wisk’s mission is to “deliver safe, all-electric, autonomous, everyday flight for everyone.” Since 2010, the air taxi company has been working toward that mission by designing, developing, and testing five generations of aircraft, and now they are developing their 6th and possibly final iteration, which will have four seats. Much of the company’s work so far has been performed in “stealth mode,” staying out of the public eye, but on April 17th, the 6th generation aircraft made a public debut on the show 60 Minutes with Anderson Cooper.

The TV debut demonstrated many of the key features and changes expected to be made in the latest vehicle iteration. These include a larger seat configuration that provides more space for passengers and baggage, while ensuring that the aircraft is accessible for those with disabilities. In addition to these benefits, the 6th iteration aircraft’s larger capacity opens the door to future use cases, such as cargo transportation or emergency rescue. According to Wisk, higher payloads and cabin volume will better support other applications and use cases long term.

Also featured in the 60 Minutes episode were California-based Joby Aviation and Texas-based LIFT Aircraft, as well as cameos from Beta Technologies, Archer Aviation, EHang, and Lilium, among others.

Related: Wisk and Skyports Partner to Define Autonomous AAM Infrastructure Operations

Why it’s important: As phrased in Wisk’s latest blog post, “the day in which you’ll be able to skip traffic by flying over it in an air taxi is approaching and we want the world to be ready.” Wisk has notoriously deflected questions about its newest eVTOL design up to this point, but this nationwide televised reveal of its aircraft marks the start of the company revealing further details of its 6th generation aircraft later this year. Moreover, this appearance on a mainstream media source will excite viewers about what the near future holds for the advancement of regional transportation and aerial mobility, increasing the likelihood of public acceptance and buy-in.

Wisk Aero, a Bay-Area Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company backed by Boeing, has partnered with the City of Long Beach, California through its Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) to create an AAM working group focused on evaluating, planning, and implementing AAM services, with an emphasis on autonomy. Through the partnership, Wisk and the LBEP will conduct an Economic Impact study to measure potential economic benefits to the community and overall impact from AAM operations in Southern California.

Over the next two years, the new working group will examine four key areas to evaluate the opportunities and impacts that AAM will present for the city of Long Beach. These areas include an analysis of the economic impact and workforce development, community acceptance and outreach, integration of autonomous AAM into city transportation plans, and federal and state government funding opportunities.

With support from Wisk, LBEP will coordinate the development of an Economic Impact Study that will be conducted by the Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) Office of Economic Research. The study will estimate the annual economic impact of future AAM operations in Southern California and other regional state economies. The results of the study are expected to be completed and released later this year.

“We are excited to work with the City of Long Beach and LBEP in this unique partnership,” said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “With its rich aerospace past, current resurgence via Space Beach, and its central position in the LA Metro area, Long Beach is an ideal city for all-electric, autonomous urban flight opportunities. Through this partnership, Long Beach has the opportunity to be one of the first cities to realize the economic and environmental benefits of AAM, as well as to lead Southern California, and the United States, in autonomous, all-electric AAM.”

“Aerospace innovation has always been a strong part of Long Beach history,” says Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “We have produced some of the world’s most modern aircraft, are leading in the space economy, and will now be home to new technologies in Advanced Air Mobility. We look forward to our partnership with Wisk and are proud of our local workforce who are educated, trained, and poised to make progress on these innovations.”

“Long Beach has long been a center of aerospace culture and capabilities,” said Randal Hernandez, co-chair of the working group, immediate past chair of the Long Beach Economic Partnership and former chairman of the City of Long Beach’sEconomic Development Commission. “Autonomous, all-electric AAM represents the next revolution in commercial aviation and promises significant economic benefits with minimal environmental impact. We are proud to partner with an AAM leader like Wisk to further explore the benefits that AAM can bring to the City of Long Beach, the southern California region, and the state as a whole.”

Why it’s important: Wisk has recently made major strides in the development of Advanced Aerial Mobility, as demonstrated by this partnership and by Boeing’s additional $495 Million investment into Wisk. Southern California has historically been an innovation hub for the aerospace industry, making it a well-suited location for launching AAM operations. The sprawling population of Los Angeles and Orange County also makes these areas an ideal proving ground for initial air taxi operations, where the demand for flights should be abundant.

Credit // Wisk press release

Boeing this week announced it is investing an additional $495 million USD into eVTOL company Wisk Aero. The news is an important signal of Boeing’s confidence in the future of aerial mobility, and provides Wisk with extra capital needed to complete its lengthy and costly flight test and certification campaign.

The California-based firm is a joint venture between aircraft developer Kitty Hawk and Boeing, and has seen several prototype iterations over the years. Its ‘Cora’ aircraft has now completed over 1,500 flight tests. Wisk hopes to initially pursue certification from the FAA before seeking type certificates in other jurisdictions.

“With this investment, we are reconfirming our belief in Wisk’s business and the importance of their work in 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,” Boeing Chief Strategy Officer Marc Allen shared in a statement.

“That’s why straight-to-autonomy is a core first principle. Boeing and Wisk have been at the forefront of AAM innovation for more than a decade, and will continue to lead in the years ahead.”

Why it matters: With Boeing’s latest investment, Wisk is near the top of the industry with capital on hand as many manufacturers are turning the corner from concepts to actual flight test programs and certification. Although Wisk has been quiet to report on vehicle technical specifications or anticipated project timelines, it appears the company is well positioned to compete in the aerial mobility space against other industry leaders.

Aerial mobility developer Wisk has officially announced a partnership with BLADE Urban Air Mobility to provide and operate up to 30 eVTOL aircraft on key routes. Wisk, originally founded from Larry Page’s Kitty Hawk, is developer of the all-electric, autonomous Cora aircraft, which has already conducted hundreds of flight tests, and has partnered with the likes of Boeing and Air New Zealand.

Blade and Wisk intend to deploy the Cora eVTOL aircraft on short distance routes between BLADE’s dedicated terminals. Wisk will maintain ownership and operating rights of the vehicles and has agreed to flight hour minimums with BLADE.

In addition to the announcement, the two companies have agreed to create a taskforce that will research the deployment of technologies necessary to expedite aircraft charging and implement next-generation air traffic management. The partnership combines Wisk’s technical expertise in vehicle design and operations with BLADE’s six years of operations experience in helicopter aerial mobility.

“We look forward to working with Wisk to help accelerate Blade’s transition from conventional rotorcraft to safe, quiet, emission-free Electric Vertical Aircraft,” said Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade.

“This arrangement validates that UAM is the future of mobility,” said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “To date, we have been focused on developing an aircraft and customer experience that is efficient, accessible, and — most importantly — safe. The combination of our expertise as an autonomous eVTOL aircraft manufacturer and operator, with the operational expertise of Blade, will help usher in an even greater level of safety and service.”

“The Wisk-Blade arrangement is a perfect fit for our asset light model,” said Will Heyburn, CFO and Head of Corporate Development for Blade. “Backed by Boeing’s deep aerospace experience, Wisk will own, operate and maintain their aircraft as part of our network, allowing Blade to focus on delivering a great experience to our fliers.”

Why it matters: Through this partnership, Wisk will become one of the first eVTOL manufacturers to reach commercial operation in the U.S, by utilizing BLADE’s platform and existing business and operations infrastructure. BLADE conversely benefits by leveraging eVTOLs as an early adopter, with less risk than being a developer, since Wisk will maintain ownership and day-to-day operation of the vehicles. Notably, this is BLADE’s second eVTOL developer partnership, closely following a deal with Beta Technologies last month.

Source: Wisk Press Release

Reportedly, special emphasis is also being placed on National Campaign safety scenarios: autonomous flight, contingency management, including collision avoidance, and flight path management.

Robert Pearce, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, said, “Wisk brings a tremendous amount of experience in eVTOL vehicle development, automation technologies, and flight test, and combines it with a safety-first mindset towards advancing autonomous flight. NASA believes our partnership with Wisk will help accelerate the realization of exciting new Advanced Air Mobility missions.”

NASA’s Advanced Aerial Mobility Initiative aims to accelerate aerial mobility progress. Image Credit // NASA

NASA and Wisk will collaborate to define future means of advancing the aerial mobility industry – while new certification standards might not be defined until they’re officially confirmed by regulating bodies such as the FAA or EASA, the joint venture will allow creation of common engineering design and development standards in order to establish common minimum operable products within the industry, and hopefully propel those that already meet or exceed standards even further. Some of these standards definition areas include flight path management, airspace integration, minimum performance requirements, and general flight procedures.

“Our partnership with NASA will bring together our market-leading expertise in autonomy with the unmatched technical capabilities of NASA,” said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “The frameworks and recommendations developed through this collaboration will not only advance autonomous passenger flight but also increase the overall safety of aviation.”

Why it’s important: Wisk’s partnership with NASA is unique in that it represents a high-visibility public private partnership to advance aerial mobility between a government organization and a private company. This partnership affords both participants the opportunity to leverage the other’s resources while also mutually benefiting the entire aerial mobility industry. Such partnerships in large scale commercial aerospace are very uncommon at present since the amount of shared intellectual property would lead to eradication of most competitive advantages. While it remains to be seen the level of data disclosure that will accompany this collaboration, hopefully the benefits of NASA and Wisk’s work are able to cast a broad reach among other advanced autonomous aerial mobility development efforts.

Source // PR News Wire

WISK, the company behind the WISK Cora autonomous electric air taxi, has announced that Eric Johnson has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Engineering and will serve on the company’s Executive Leadership Team.

The WISK CORA autonomous electric air taxi in flight

WISK, a project resulting from collaboration between air taxi developer KittyHawk, aviation giant Boeing, and the New Zealand government, is now one of the world’s most advanced air taxi companies. Automated airspace integration testing has already begun in New Zealand, and commercial operations in the country are planned to begin within five years, putting WISK in an excellent position to be one of the first air taxi companies in full operation.

Prior to joining WISK, Eric Johnson was a Chief Engineer supporting Boeing NeXt, where he directed the engineering development and product safety for a joint team. Eric also served as Product Development Chief Engineer for the Boeing 777X program and Chief Engineer and Airplane Level Integration Team Leader for the 777-8 program, and has held multiple management and engineering positions in Airplane Safety, Electromagnetic Effects, Flight Sciences, Flight Test, Certification and Sales.

At WISK, Johnson will be responsible for executing the company’s technical vision and roadmap, overseeing the development of current and future aircraft, and directing Wisk’s software, hardware, systems engineering, flight test, certification and product management teams.

Said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk: ““We are thrilled to have Eric join us. (He) brings strong technical and problem-solving skills with a long history in delivering certified platforms to the commercial marketplace. His demonstrated leadership in innovative aircraft development, integration, certification, testing, and customer engagement is a great benefit to us as we move forward.”

New WISK Senior Vice President of Engineering Eric Johnson

“I’m thrilled to be joining a company that’s shaping the future of the UAM   space,” said Johnson. “Wisk’s greatest strengths are its people, it’s safety-   first culture and its commitment to innovation. I’m proud to now be part of the team that will make safe, everyday flight a reality.” –Eric Johnson

Why it’s important: With this latest hire, WISK adds to its growing team of aviation industry experts that are ready to make autonomous, electric, everyday flight in New Zealand and elsewhere a reality. Combined with the other recent add of Pete Kunz (Chief Technologist for Boeing NeXt) to its board, WISK indicates its intent to grow as well as Boeing’s strong direction of resources towards the WISK project.

Related:

• Wisk Adds Dr. Pete Kunz to its Board
• Wisk Resumes Flight Tests
• Wisk’s Newest Details on the Cora Air Taxi

Source // WISK

Wisk this week has announced the addition of Dr. Pete Kunz to its board.

Dr. Kunz is the Chief Technologist for Boeing NeXt, as well as Boeing’s Senior Chief Engineer for Unpiloted Systems. Previously, Dr. Kunz held several leadership roles, including chief technology officer at Insitu, Inc., an unmanned aerial systems and services (UAS) company where he led both commercial and defense technical development.

“We are pleased to welcome Pete to our board,” said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “His background in aerospace engineering and his experience in various aspects of the analysis, design and testing of autonomous aircraft is incredibly valuable as we continue the development and certification process for our self-flying air taxi.”

As one of the visionary leaders behind Boeing NeXt’s UAM strategy, Dr. Kunz’s background in autonomous aircraft brings additional technical and industry expertise to Wisk’s board. Dr. Kunz shares a long history of success in the industry and is recognized as a leader in the UAM space. He shares Wisk’s commitment to transforming the future of urban mobility.

“What I see happening at Wisk is extremely exciting and I love the culture that continues to be built there,” said Kunz. “I’m looking forward to helping the company work through the next phase of their aircraft development and bringing safe, autonomous flight to market.”

Dr. Kunz has a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University, as well as master’s and bachelor’s degrees in aerospace engineering from Penn State.

Dr. Peter Kunz

Why it matters: Dr. Kunz’s extensive experience in the UAM space in both academia and industry will add visionary leadership to the Wisk board. Wisk has a diverse board and leadership team giving it a competitive advantage in aerial mobility.

Source: Wisk Press Release

After a brief pause in flight testing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air taxi company Wisk has resumed flight tests of the Cora aircraft in both the U.S and New Zealand. 

Wisk is the result of joint venture between Kitty Hawk and Boeing, in collaboration with Air New Zealand and the New Zealand Government.

Wisk was established in 2019 as a joint venture between The Boeing Company and Kitty Hawk Corporation, in collaboration with Air New Zealand. The Cora aircraft itself was originally created by Kitty Hawk, which has now transitioned to working on its latest aircraft, the Heaviside. As of February 2020, Wisk had signed a partnership with the government of New Zealand to eventually bring Cora’s autonomous air taxi capabilities to the country’s transportation infrastructure. The MoU signed that month allowed Wisk to begin conducting the world’s first full airspace integration trial of an autonomous eVTOL in Canterbury, a large region of New Zealand.

The now-resumed flight tests will evaluate the performance of the aircraft in a real world environment, while collecting data that will help inform the further development, operation, safety features and certification of the Cora aircraft. Prior to the to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company had completed over 1300 test flights to expand the flight envelope, provide data for modeling, improve overall design, and complete procedures to operate the aircraft safely and efficiently.

The Wisk Cora on the ground, making its many propellors visible.

Says Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk, “The team’s dedication over the past few months has allowed us to remain focused on critical non-flight areas, such as certification, software development, and operations. This has allowed us to maintain momentum during this unique time. But it’s awesome to be flying again.”

Carl Engel, Director, Flight Test for Wisk, comments: “Our first priority has always been safety, both for our employees and in the development of our aircraft. As we return to flight testing, we have implemented a number of procedures and social distancing measures based on best practices and recommendations from local and national health and government organizations.”

Why it’s important: While the COVID-19 pandemic certainly put a temporary hold on physical flight tests, the team at Wisk was successfully able to use that time to achieve many important goals working from home, focusing on subjects like operations, certification, and critical software. Given that Wisk was able to adjust its development workflow so quickly, it was likely able to reduce a great deal of the negative impact of the pandemic slow-down, and now can resume flight testing without delay.