Wisk Aero has completed the first flight of its Generation 6 eVTOL aircraft, marking a key milestone in its push to deliver what it says would be the first FAA-certified, autonomous passenger-carrying eVTOL in the United States.
The initial flight included a vertical take-off, hover and stabilised flight manoeuvres at Wisk’s flight test facility in Hollister, California. The company said the milestone validates the aircraft’s core flight systems and is the first step in a broader flight test program.
Gen 6 is the aircraft currently covered by Wisk’s type certification application with the FAA. The company says the program draws on lessons from more than 1,750 test flights across five previous aircraft generations.
Wisk CEO Sebastien Vigneron said the first flight was a major moment for the Gen 6 program and “reaffirms our belief in autonomy”. Boeing Commercial Airplanes executive Brian Yutko, who chairs the Wisk board, said the milestone showcased advances in flight controls, sensing, navigation and electric power systems.
Wisk’s concept of operations includes fully autonomous flight with human oversight from a ground-based multi-vehicle supervisor. The company said its testing will initially focus on hover performance, take-offs, landings and low-speed stability before expanding into higher speeds, altitudes and transition manoeuvres.
Wisk is targeting potential launch markets including Houston, Los Angeles and Miami.