Page 23 - AAA January / February 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP
P. 23
“We believe the
technology is ready
today,” adds Tanner.
“We are convinced
that this is the right
approach to scale to
the market demand
and also to do it as
safely as possible.”
The test flights have been
across five generations of
aircraft. While Generation 1
was autonomous and built as
a full-scale proof of concept,
Generation 2 and 3 were piloted
aircraft. Wisk used Generation
4 and 5, which had similar body
shapes but different vertical pro-
pulsion systems, avionics, and
software, to test airspace inte-
gration and autonomous flight
in controlled airspace. “The 5th
generation Cora is our work-
ing prototype; we demonstrate
of securing Type Certification this.” technology and take a lot of
for its 6th generation aircraft Tanner explains the reasons learnings from it,” says Tanner.
from the Federal Aviation behind the company’s self-fly- “We have taken all of our gen-
Administration (FAA). ing first approach. “The entire erations and aircraft learnings
industry is in agreement that to develop the sixth-generation
aircraft.”
in order to truly scale to meet
Mature Technology what we all believe the future
Becky Tanner, Chief Marketing demand will be, and to do it Thinking Globally
Officer at Wisk, is eager to with the maximum level of
clear the misconception that the safety, you gave to go the The company’s sixth genera-
technology needed for auton- autonomous path,” she says. tion aircraft, a life-size model of
omous flight of eVTOLs isn’t “We believe in that vision, and which was displayed at the Paris
mature yet. “The technology is we believe we are right to deliver Airshow, will have four seats, a
here, it is ready. With our 13 on that challenge and to be cruising speed of 120 knots, and
plus years of experience, we the first to do that. To design a range of 90 miles or 144 kilo-
have learned a lot along the an aircraft with a pilot on board meters. It will fly 2,500 – 4,000 ft
journey. We know how to build and then to design a different above ground. The charge time
a plane and how to fly safely aircraft without a pilot on board will be 15 minutes. “The aircraft
autonomously. Since 2010, the is a whole another development is designed for four passen-
company has completed over project, a whole another testing gers and to carry four pieces
1,600 test flights without an project and a whole another cer- of luggage,” says Tanner. “It
incident. We know how to do tification project. also has room on board for
ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2024 | 23
