The Boeing Co. is contributing $450 million into development of an all-electric, self-flying air taxi possibly destined for commercial flight.
Wisk Aero LLC, which calls itself an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company, announced the investment by the aircraft manufacturing giant this week. Wisk is developing its eVTOL aircraft for first-ever certification as an autonomous, all-electric, passenger carrier aircraft in the U.S.
“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,” Mark Allen, Boeing’s Chief Strategy Officer, said in a statement. “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. 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.”
Related story
Rolls Royce take all-Electric Jet to 387 MPH in Test Flight
The eVTOL has been flown in testing and is Wisk’s sixth generation aircraft. The company was founded in 2010 as Zee Aero and later merged with Kitty Hawk Corp.
Wisk was spun off to pursue all-electric autonomous flight with previously undisclosed funding from both Kitty Hawk and Boeing, according to reports. The air taxi would offer short commercial flights on demand, according to the firm’s website.
Wisk also participates in a Advanced Air Mobility partnership with NASA. In July 2021, the federal aviation agency named Wisk Aero as one of the companies joining the national campaign to develop AAM demonstrations for air taxis and cargo flights.