Wisk Aero, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boeing Co (NYSE: BA) (ETR: BCO), just achieved a successful test flight with its Generation 6 autonomous air taxi.
The company has completed approximately 2,000 test flights with its prototypes, but the milestone is highly significant because this latest model is the one that Wisk Aero is seeking Federal Aviation Administration approval for.
Gen 6 is a four-passenger production candidate vehicle equipped with the aviation specialist’s most advanced aircraft tech. It could be the first electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxi without a pilot on board to transport passengers in the United States.
“While the Gen 4 and Gen 5 milestones were amazing, being part of the Gen 6 program from its very inception to this first flight has been a career journey like no other,” commented Wisk maintenance chief Jonny Smyth.
This initial one-minute test flight has validated the aerial vehicle’s ability to conduct essential airborne maneuvers. Its first solo trip in the air will be followed by a more thorough flight test program to assess its capabilities more extensively. Gen 6 is the largest aircraft that Wisk has ever built.
The air taxi will be capable of travelling up to 90 miles on one charge at an altitude of up to 4,000 feet. It will fly predefined routes using a combination of computers, predictive hardware and software, radar, sensors and ground links. Remote Multi-Vehicle Supervisors will oversee flights and can take control when needed, but the aircraft will be capable of independently detecting and avoiding obstacles.
“Seeing Gen 6 take flight is an exciting moment for Wisk and the future of aviation,” stated CEO Sebastien Vigneron. “It reaffirms our belief in autonomy, and we are even more energized to continue the journey to bring safe, everyday flight to everyone.”
Archer Aviation Inc (NYSE: ACHR), Vertical Aerospace Ltd (NYSE: EVTL) (FRA: M000) and Joby Aviation Inc (NYSE: JOBY) are three other leading air taxi stocks. Boeing’s subsidiary stands out from these companies because of its firm commitment to full autonomy.
Read more: Electric aviator Vertical Aerospace surges on capital injection, successful flight
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