Wisk’s new eVTOL air taxi designed for FAA certification process

Wisk, the Boeing-backed developer of electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis, has unveiled its sixth-generation passenger aircraft it calls the “first self-flying, all-electric, four-passenger… candidate for type certification” from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

That claim to precedence appears based largely on Wisk’s eVTOL conception of its future air taxi operating autonomously while monitored by ground-based obervers. That contrasts rival craft manufacturers working toward FAA certification, notably Joby and Archer, whose configurations call for onboard pilots. The new-look plane also features a simplified design, fewer moving parts, and a purported operational efficiency that will limit cost to $3 per passenger/mile.

Read: Wisk and Boeing unveil UAM operational roadmap for future air taxis 

Unlike competitors further along in their eVTOL development efforts, Wisk has yet to initiate the certification process of its air…