Forward-looking: While we still don't have skies filled with flying taxis, that sci-fi vision of the future might not be too far away. Wisk, an autonomous aircraft startup backed by Boeing, says it expects its autonomous aircraft to be operational by the end of the decade, starting with operations in Texas.
Wisk is hoping that a prototype of its Generation 6 autonomous electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft will make its first flight by the end of the year – the company is currently assembling the latest version. The eVTOL, which is able to hold four passengers and their luggage, will fly between 2,500 and 4,000 feet, have a 90-mile range, a speed between 110 and 120 knots, and a charge time of just 15 minutes.
The plan is for Wisk's air taxis to transport riders at a cost comparable to an UberX ride, said APAC VP Catherine MacGowan (via The Reg).
"There's a very comprehensive process for us to go through to be approved, to be certified, and approved to conduct autonomous operations, so we won't be carrying passengers and we won't be undertaking operations until the [US Federal Aviation Authority] FAA and other regulators as appropriate have been fully set aside," MacGowan admitted at the Singapore airshow.
Wisk said it has an agreement with the city of Sugar Land, Texas, to develop its autonomous air taxi services in the Houston area. Brian Yutko, Wisk's chief executive, said the greater Houston location is experiencing some of the highest population growth in the country, worsening its traffic conditions.
Wisk has been testing its eVTOL prototypes since 2010. There have been at least 1,750 flights across five iterations of the craft, which have resulted in "no significant incidents," according to MacGowan. Those words don't seem to placate everyone's fears of using autonomous flying taxis, though, with MacGowan admitting that younger people are a lot keener to use them than older generations.
The flying taxi industry is advancing at a rapid pace. A Paris service could be ready for the 2024 Summer Olympics, while China became the first country to approve autonomous flying taxis last year.