Despite the on-going Covid pandemic and frequent supply chain issues affecting almost every industry, the air taxis of tomorrow are still advancing and preparing to take flight! Most recently, Boeing has announced that they have invested another $450 million in the aviation startup, Wisk Aero. Wisk is known for developing pilotless electric aircraft, with the specific aim to move passengers around cities.
This newest investment has now established Wisk as one of the most funded advanced air mobility (AAM) companies. Wisk’s CEO Gary Gysin stated on Monday, “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.”
Formed in 2019, Wisk is a joint venture between Boeing and Kitty Hawk Corporation. In May 2021, Wisk signed its first deal to operate air taxis in the US. In fact, Wisk’s 6th generation eVTOL aircraft will be the first candidate for the certification of “an autonomous, all-electric, passenger-carrying aircraft in the US”! While Wisk has announced that it anticipates operating close to 14 million annual flights, it still has not specified a launch date.
Meanwhile, competitors like Airbus, Embraer, and Volocopter are also rapidly developing their own electric air taxis, with Volocopter even selling 1,000 advanced reservation tickets for their first flights.
