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    Boeing invests $450 million into Electric, Autonomous Aircraft developer Wisk Aero

    Jan. 25, 2022
    Wisk is developing its eVTOL aircraft for first-ever certification as an autonomous, all-electric, passenger carrier aircraft in the U.S.
    Image credit Wisk Aero
    W Isk A Ero Flight 61f077535cf9d

    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.”

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    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.

    About the Author

    Rod Walton, EnergyTech Managing Editor | Senior Editor

    For EnergyTech editorial inquiries, please contact Managing Editor Rod Walton at [email protected].

    Rod Walton has spent 15 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist. He formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    Walton earned his Bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. His career stops include the Moore American, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, Wagoner Tribune and Tulsa World. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids. The C&I sectors together account for close to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

    He was named Managing Editor for Microgrid Knowledge and EnergyTech starting July 1, 2023

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.

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