Boeing Co is investing a further $450 million in Wisk Aero to support development of future pilotless flying taxis, the US aerospace giant said on Monday.
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California-based Wisk, owned by Boeing and Kitty Hawk – the air vehicle firm launched by Google co-founder Larry Page – is one of dozens of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) makers but differs in focusing its efforts on autonomous flight.
The decision to leapfrog a generation of piloted eVTOL aircraft being developed by independent startups and some aerospace groups entails a later entry to service than the target date of 2024 envisaged by most competitors.
Boeing declined to give a date for what it terms the sixth-generation Wisk passenger vehicle, but industry sources said the idea was to present it for certification in around 2028.
Boeing said it would be the first autonomous passenger-carrying vehicle to be certified in the United States.
In a statement, Wisk said the $450 million investment from Boeing would make it "one of the most well-funded" companies of its type, but gave no further details.
