Wisk resumes eVTOL aircraft flight testing

Wisk (Mountain View, Calif., U.S.), the urban air mobility (UAM) company behind the world’s first all-electric, self-flying air taxi, Cora, announced on June 10 that it has resumed flight testing in the U.S. and in New Zealand. According to Wisk, the flight tests will evaluate the performance of the aircraft in a real-world environment, while collecting data that will inform further development, operation, safety features and certification of the aircraft.

Flight tests had been temporarily paused due to shelter-in-place restrictions corresponding with the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, the company had completed more than 1,300 test flights expanding the flight envelope, providing data for model, design and requirements updates and maturing procedures to operate the aircraft safely and efficiently.

“We are excited to resume test flights following the brief pause caused by COVID-19,” says Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. “The team's dedication over the past few months has allowed us to remain focused on critical non-flight areas, such as certification, software development and operations.”

“Our first priority has always been safety, both for our employees and in the development of our aircraft,” notes Carl Engel, director of Wisk’s flight testing. “As we return to flight testing, we have implemented a number of procedures and social distancing measures based on best practices and recommendations from local and national health and government organizations.”