In a significant stride towards the future of urban air mobility, Wisk Aero, a subsidiary of aviation giant Boeing, has triumphantly executed a public demonstration flight of its 5th Generation autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. The momentous flight took place during the EAA AirVenture event and not only marked a pivotal milestone for the company but also showcased the groundbreaking capabilities of its technology demonstrator, Cora.
During the accomplished flight, Wisk Aero demonstrated the seamless transition of their innovative air taxi from hovering to wing-borne flight on four separate occasions. The exhibition of various maneuvers, including precise hovering, nimble 360-degree turns in place, and more, underscored the unique potential of this cutting-edge aircraft.
See also: Wisk secures $450 million in funding from Boeing for develop self-flying air taxi
In a statement, Wisk Aero expressed their pride in unveiling the autonomous technology integral to their self-flying first approach. This public demonstration has effectively underscored the advanced state of readiness in both autonomous aviation technology and electric propulsion. The impressive progress achieved in securing Type Certification for their forthcoming 6th Generation air taxi further solidifies the viability of autonomy in aviation, substantiating that this groundbreaking transformation is already unfolding. The company confidently anticipates the commencement of passenger services aboard an all-electric, autonomous air taxi within this decade.
Furthermore, back in June, Wisk Aero announced a strategic partnership with Safran Electronics & Defense, selecting them as the supplier for their Generation 6 autonomous all-electric air taxi. At the core of this collaboration is the SkyNaute inertial navigation system, meticulously designed based on Safran-patented technology – the HRG Crystal Hemispherical Resonator Gyroscope. The SkyNaute system seamlessly integrates high-performance and reliability, embodying the most compact form factor available in the market. It stands resilient with exceptional integrity and precision, even in scenarios where GNSS signals might be absent or compromised. This hybrid inertial navigation system plays an instrumental role in assuring the Generation 6 self-flying air taxi’s trajectory accuracy throughout all flight phases, thereby enhancing the overall flight safety to an optimum level.
As the aerospace landscape continues to evolve, Wisk Aero’s recent accomplishments and collaborations herald a promising era of autonomous, electric air travel, leaving an indelible mark on the horizon of transportation innovation.
