Wisk Aero (Wisk), a California-based Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company responsible for producing the first all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the US has successfully secured an investment of US$450 million (£333 million) from Boeing.
This makes Wisk one of the best-funded AAMs and strengthens the already existing relationship between the two companies. Wisk will use the funds to advance its current 6th-generation electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which is also the first all-electric autonomous passenger-carrying aircraft in the US to be a candidate for certification. The funding provided by Boeing will be used to support Wisk as it ramps up its growth phase ready to launch full-scale manufacturing of the aircraft. In the five years subsequent to obtaining certification, Wisk anticipates operating one of the largest fleets of AAM eVTOL aircraft.
Within that same timeframe Wisk believes it will fly over 40 million people across 20 cities, operating at zero CO2 emission levels. Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk said: “Wisk is extremely well-positioned to deliver on our long-term strategy and commitment to safe, everyday flight for everyone. We are incredibly fortunate to have Boeing as not only an investor but a strategic partner, which provides us with access to a breadth of resources, industry-leading expertise, a global reach, extensive certification experience, and more.”
Marc Allen, Chief Strategy Officer of Boeing said: “With this investment, we are reconfirming our belief in Wisk’s business and the importance of their work in pioneering all-electric, AI-driven, autonomous capability for the aerospace industry. Autonomy is the key to unlocking scale across all AAM applications, from passenger to cargo and beyond.”
