Photo: Wisk
Urban air-mobility company Wisk has received a whopping $450 million in funding from Boeing to further develop its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The company says that this investment turns it into “one of the most well-funded advanced air mobility companies in the world.”
Wisk joined the eVTOL game more than a decade ago. Initially known as Zee Aero, the startup set out on a quest to reduce traffic and make everyday flight a reality for everyone. Then Wisk was born out of a joint venture between Kitty Hawk and Boeing, which saw the commercial potential of the company’s 5th generation aircraft.
Wisk has achieved several milestones in recent years, including the successful completion of more than 1,500 test flights of its eVTOL aircraft in the U.S. With Kitty Hawk still continuing to back up Wisk, the company is currently developing the sixth-gen all-electric self-flying vehicle for passengers.
And now, with the half-billion investment from Boeing, the business expects to speed up the development process. This funding will also help Wisk grow as it enters an active expansion phase next year. It will also support its plans for scaling up the manufacturing process and its efforts of bringing the new air taxi to market.
Although several eVTOL vehicle manufacturers are currently working to obtain certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), it’s not an easy process, and it takes time. Therefore, seeing air taxis buzz above the cities won’t happen overnight.
However, with its new funding, Wisk hopes to advance the future of all-electric, autonomous flights. Within five years following the certification of its 6th generation aircraft, the company plans to build one of the largest fleets of eVTOLs that use autonomous technology.
Once that happens, Wisk expects close to four million flights per year in around 20 key markets throughout the world. For now, there’s no word on any technical specifications regarding its new air taxi. So, we’ll have to wait to see what its sixth-gen eVTOL is all about.
Wisk joined the eVTOL game more than a decade ago. Initially known as Zee Aero, the startup set out on a quest to reduce traffic and make everyday flight a reality for everyone. Then Wisk was born out of a joint venture between Kitty Hawk and Boeing, which saw the commercial potential of the company’s 5th generation aircraft.
Wisk has achieved several milestones in recent years, including the successful completion of more than 1,500 test flights of its eVTOL aircraft in the U.S. With Kitty Hawk still continuing to back up Wisk, the company is currently developing the sixth-gen all-electric self-flying vehicle for passengers.
And now, with the half-billion investment from Boeing, the business expects to speed up the development process. This funding will also help Wisk grow as it enters an active expansion phase next year. It will also support its plans for scaling up the manufacturing process and its efforts of bringing the new air taxi to market.
Although several eVTOL vehicle manufacturers are currently working to obtain certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), it’s not an easy process, and it takes time. Therefore, seeing air taxis buzz above the cities won’t happen overnight.
However, with its new funding, Wisk hopes to advance the future of all-electric, autonomous flights. Within five years following the certification of its 6th generation aircraft, the company plans to build one of the largest fleets of eVTOLs that use autonomous technology.
Once that happens, Wisk expects close to four million flights per year in around 20 key markets throughout the world. For now, there’s no word on any technical specifications regarding its new air taxi. So, we’ll have to wait to see what its sixth-gen eVTOL is all about.
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