Autonomous Flying Taxis Near Takeoff
Wisk Aero's 4-Seat Air Taxi Going After FAA Certification
.webp)
.webp)
New Form of Urban Commuting
Mountain View, California-based Wisk Aero, which is financially backed by Boeing, just unveiled its 6th generation, 4-seat, autonomous air taxi. The eVTOL is all-electric and a very sleek and smart new way to travel. This is the design that the aerospace startup company intends to put into production and bring to market. Wisk Aero is now seeking its FAA certification to fly passengers, along with certifications in New Zealand and elsewhere. The company has performed more than 1600 test flights with its new air taxi. It is clearly getting ready for take-off.
Unique Autonomous Flying with Remote Human Backup
The technology underpinning Wisk is highly advanced. While the eVTOL flies autonomously without a pilot, remote human operators monitor it and are ready to take over and fly it remotely if need be. The autonomous flying is controlled by "logic driven, procedural based, decision-making software", as the company puts it. There are also a suite of sensors and obstacle avoidance systems on board. Wisk Aero says their flying taxi has been made to exceed aviation safety standards.
Tech Specs & New Technologies
There are 12 propeller engines for lift spread across the 50-foot wingspan. To the front of the raised wing, there are 6, 5-blade props that transition from vertical liftoff to horizontal, forward flight by tilting their position. There are also 6 more, 4-blade props for lift that lock in place during forward flight. The air taxi has a range of 90 miles on a charge. Cruising speed is 138 mph at an altitude of 2,500 to 4,000 feet. The interior is inspired by automotive design. The cabin is spacious. Each passenger has their own information display to track trip vitals. There are also onboard Wi-Fi and charging points for gadgets. The company estimates that in the US an air taxi trip on their vehicle will cost $3 per passenger, per mile. For more news stories like this, Latest Innovations For Tomorow
Comments
Post a Comment