Advanced air mobility (AAM) company Wisk Aero has officially unveiled its sixth-generation autonomous, all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. According to the company, the model “represents the first-ever candidate for type certification by the FAA of an autonomous eVTOL.” Changes to the sixth-generation aircraft include a high-wing design, extended booms, increase in the size and number of propeller blades and a larger cabin.
“In 2010, we set out to find a way to skip traffic and get to our destination faster,” said Wisk CEO Gary Gysin. “Over the past 12 years, we’ve pursued that mission through the development of five different generations of full-scale aircraft. Our 6th Generation aircraft is the culmination of years of hard work from our industry-leading team, learnings from our previous generations of aircraft, commitment from our investors, and the evolution and advancement of technology.”
Designed to operate autonomously “with human oversight” and seat up to four people, Wisk’s Generation 6 eVTOL is expected to cruise at 120 knots and have a range of 90 miles with reserves. The company reports that it has currently conducted more than 1,600 test flights with its eVTOL designs. Wisk launched in 2019 as a joint venture between KittyHawk Corporation, which announced last month that it would be ending operations, and Boeing.
Sixth generation?
“Over the past 12 years, we’ve pursued that mission through the development of five different generations of full-scale aircraft. Our 6th Generation aircraft is the culmination of years of hard work from our industry-leading team, learnings from our previous generations of aircraft, commitment from our investors, and the evolution and advancement of technology.”
Where were the first five? Anybody see one? Anybody ride in one to work this morning?
Maybe the others are flying and earning money in a parallel universe?
That was my initial thought as well, but I presume they mean they feel confident in submitting their sixth design iteration for FAA approval, with all of the previous versions too much of a prototype for submission.
While none have entered service, this is indeed their sixth generation E-VTOL. Previous generations all flew developmental test flights, the 5th gen very extensively.
Anyone can make a video showing an eVTOL in a utopian world. I want to see videos of the thing actually flying, making noise, and blowing debris everywhere. Let us see what they’re really like.
Their website shows the evolution of the design(s) over the last few years. Lots of ideas tried and rejected–and this was in the development phase–NOT certification.
It’s interesting that so many people are hyping “self-driving flying cars.” IF there was really a market for this, why not “self-driving flying autonomous ground taxis?” After all, there is less risk in two dimensions than 3–and there is less “control/coordination” problem. CERTAINLY, there are more customers for those (but then, they don’t have the “this is the Jetson’s” image.)
It has yet to come to grips with the reality of the marketplace as well as the certification/control issues–no price announced–no business plan–no mention of how they would be controlled–no certification–no maintenance schedule and cost…. Wouldn’t you think that the logical place to try these out in the REAL WORLD would be by offering them to the military? Once the “bugs” are worked out, in remote areas–carrying cargo, THEN try to integrate them into crowded cities.
The “cheerleaders” for magical “battery power” ignore reality–As far as their claim for “ZERO pollution”–they ignore the fact that electricity is made SOMEWHERE–it has been said that “electrification is not zero, it is EXPORTED from somewhere else”…the cost of making batteries is huge–the cost of making batteries is huge–the cost of increased electrical distribution is huge. If any of the “cheerleaders” REALLY BELIEVE in this, they should convert all of their assets to cash, and invest in these “innovations.”
Presumably when they announce an upgrade to seventh generation, there will be a warning to passengers to back up their brains.
“With human oversight” – Where? Onboard? Or in a basement somewhere, watching a screen? Do they set you down immediately when your social credits run out?
If I had to make critical comments, it would be that while they have designed 6 of the rotors to tilt so that they are used both for vertical lift and forward propulsion, they still have 6 rotors that are only contributing weight and drag in forward flight. Better than the previous designs where all of the vertical rotors were only used for vertical lift. I do believe that we will have electric flight but I am not sure sure how large the market is for the “air taxi” service. Probably will depend on cost and electric will be lower cost than burning jet fuel. One thing I am relatively sure of is that there are too many companies in this market which will mean that many will fail.
“In 2010, we set out to find a way to skip traffic and get to our destination faster,”
Trouble is,
Traffic is in high density populated areas and VTOL flights are either prohibited or greatly restricted. You just cannot land VTOL wherever you want to be.
After I abandoned my uber, liberal, woke local newspaper and now only read the WSJ, I no longer get a comics section for amusement. But instead, I have regular AvWeb articles on VTOL EVs which are a great substitute amusement, to include the inane but also amusing attempts to rationalize, and support such money holes as the way of the future. Keep up the good work, we all need a constant source of humor.
I would be careful. if you call out lazy their habit of copy / pasting press releases and pretending they were doing aviation journalism on pie in the sky “news”, they will be sure to delete you comment ASAP
I could not care less about press releases about “the next big thing in aviation”–flying cars, electric airplanes, etc.
My concern is for AvWeb–a source most of us in the business depend on for objective reporting. We are looking for REAL news, not self-promoting press releases.
I don’t believe that Paul Bertorelli would have the same enthusiasm for unproven claims from these promoters–Bertorelli “made his bones” by casting a jaundiced eye on unproven and unfounded claims–teaching those of us who have followed him for years to have a certain amount of skepticism for “the latest developments.”
Note the number of skeptics on these press releases–those writing have nothing to gain by being critical–only looking for a sense of balance. C’mon, AvWeb–we are not ALL Pollyannas here–we’ve been “around the block” a few times–we EXPECT “aviation puffery”–and also rely on aviation journalists to put those claims in perspective. Your objectivity is the REASON that so many look to you for balance.