Wisk Aero begins flight testing of electric autonomous aircraft in Los Angeles

Electric VTOL company Wisk Aero has begun flight testing a version of its autonomous taxi plane in Los Angeles, according to CEO Brian Yutko.

Flight testing of the fifth-generation aircraft, also known as Cora, at Long Beach Airport near Los Angeles does not necessarily mean Wisk will launch commercially in the city, Yutko explained on the sidelines of the UP summit held in Los Angeles. Perot Circle T Ranch near Dallas. But it illustrates how Wisk continues to make progress in testing towards commercializing an air taxi service after receiving the necessary certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration for the next generation (or sixth) aircraft in its portfolio.

Wisk, a subsidiary of Boeing, plans to launch and commercialize the sixth generation of its all-electric autonomous aircraft. The company unveiled the sixth-generation four-seat autonomous aircraft in October 2022 and began the lengthy process of obtaining type certification from the FAA to meet all of the agency’s design and safety standards. The company will also be required to obtain an operating permit and management qualification from the FAA before it can fly commercially and provide air taxi services.

The company has FAA experimental certification for the fifth generation aircraft, allowing it to test the aircraft. Wisk recently began testing its fifth-generation air taxi in Los Angeles, its third test site. Earlier this year, the company also tested fifth-generation air taxis in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and San Luis Obispo Airport. Yutko said Wisk will likely conduct trials in other markets.

“The testing goes well beyond airplanes,” Yutko told TechCrunch. “You have to be able to get people and systems working together in real-world settings to learn and iterate. We are talking about real autonomy,” he added to emphasize the importance of testing the autonomous system.

Wisk is currently building the sixth generation aircraft and plans to receive experimental certification from the Federal Aviation Administration by 2024. Yutko said he expects the sixth-generation aircraft to fly at the next UP summit, scheduled to be held in Bentonville. Arkansas in the fall of 2024.