Wisk starts eVTOL public air taxi flights in LA

Wisk Aero says it has become the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxi company to do public flights in Los Angeles County, at Long Beach Airport.

The advanced air mobility (AAM) company has been demonstrating the safety and reality of autonomous passenger flight and is also in discussions with officials including the Long Beach mayor, Boeing leadership, and Orange County representatives on AAM’s future in the region.

Wisk says the Long Beach Airport test flights provided the opportunity to conduct autonomous flight operations in a complex, real-world commercial airport environment, alongside other passenger airline operations.

It finished its Long Beach Airport flight programme with the first public demonstration of an eVTOL air taxi flight in the Los Angeles region during Long Beach’s Festival of Flight, using Wisk’s fifth generation (Cora) autonomous aircraft.

“Autonomous flight is possible today and it’s happening now in LA,” says Wisk chief executive Brian Yutko.

“Los Angeles is a target launch city for many in our industry and we are extremely proud to be the first air taxi company to fly in LA – and to have done so with an autonomous aircraft.”

The company announced a partnership with Long Beach through the city’s Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) in 2022

Wisk sponsored research on the economic impact of AAM for the region, which was conducted by California State University, Long Beach, and resulted in a report.

“I am proud to see the future of flight becoming a reality in Long Beach,” says mayor Rex Richardson.

In July 2023, Wisk completed the world’s first public demonstration of an autonomous eVTOL fixed-wing aircraft during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Wisk, a fully owned Boeing subsidiary headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with locations around the world, has also been doing “Cora” eVTOL trials in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Click here for more about Wisk.