The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) was tested at Long Beach Airport on Monday, according to a press release from the company, providing the company a way to test unmanned ‘flight operations in a complex, real-world commercial airport environment, alongside other passenger airline operations.’
Wisk’s air taxis are fully electric and can carry up to four passengers and can travel up to 90 miles. These taxis, according to Drone Life, provides a ‘commuter solution to traffic and carbon emission associated with traditional automobiles.’
Brian Yutko, CEO of Wisk, said in a statement:
Autonomous flight is possible today and it’s happening now in LA. 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.
We are fortunate to have the partnership and support of Boeing throughout the area to help build relationships and advance our mission. We are thankful to Long Beach for their ongoing partnership and support as we make safe, everyday, autonomous flight a reality for Southern California, and the world.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said at the event:
I am proud to see the future of flight becoming a reality in Long Beach. Long Beach has been a leader in aviation for decades and those careers helped build and sustain the middle class here for generations.
I am looking forward to working with Wisk and Boeing to create good jobs and integrating a safe, quiet, and environmentally responsible transportation option in Long Beach.
Wisk is apart of a continuously expanding market that expects to see more eVTOLs pop up across the world in the coming years. Flying Magazine reported:
Though it will not necessarily launch in Los Angeles, Wisk in 2022 formed an alliance with the Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) to evaluate how autonomous electric air taxis, expected to be part of a broader regional network, might impact the local economy.
The partners are also assessing local residents’ willingness to use eVTOL aircraft for short-hop flights over the city’s congested streets. One of the most traffic-heavy metros in North America, Los Angeles is quickly becoming a hot spot for electric air taxis, with Archer, Germany’s Volocopter, and Hyundai subsidiary Supernal all having worked with Urban Movement Labs—an LA government-community transportation partnership—for several years. A fourth firm, Overair, signed a deal with UML in 2022.
By the time Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic Games, the FAA hopes to have enabled U.S. AAM operations at scale, as laid out in its Innovate28 plan. The city itself also anticipates robust operations by then—Joby Aviation, in partnership with Delta Airlines, is expected to be one of the early entrants.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
When I had reported on life by 2030, the World Economic Forum had written that flying cars would be around by then. I called that into question at the time; however, since then we seen a number of these autonomous drone and air taxis take to the skies, so, perhaps this is what the WEF was actually referring to.
First communication became digitized and free to everyone. Then, when clean energy became free, things started to move quickly. Transportation dropped dramatically in price. It made no sense for us to own cars anymore, because we could call a driverless vehicle or a flying car for longer journeys within minutes. We started transporting ourselves in a much more organized and coordinated way when public transport became easier, quicker and more convenient than the car. Now I can hardly believe that we accepted congestion and traffic jams, not to mention the air pollution from combustion engines. What were we thinking?
The WEF wrote in an essay on life by 2030
I have written on a number of other instances of “flying car” networks taking shape. There are many others I have not yet reported on:
- Dubai Showcases New Flying Cars
- Honda Is Developing Flying Taxis And Robot Avatars For Life By 2030
- World’s First Hub For Flying Taxis Opens In The United Kingdom
- UK Rolls Out Blueprints For Autonomous Drone Superhighway
- Hawaii Plans To Launch Electric Air And Sea Taxi Network
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Daniel 12:4
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
The WinePress needs your support! If God has laid it on your heart to want to contribute, please prayerfully consider donating to this ministry. If you cannot gift a monetary donation, then please donate your fervent prayers to keep this ministry going! Thank you and may God bless you.
I have radio controlled cars, have flown rc planes and small heli-copters and can tell ya that they are NOT glitch free and can quit, burn up and take off on their own (uncontrollable). There is NO way I would trust them. Ya see, electric components have this thing inside of them called “magic smoke” and when ya see this smoke it quits instantly, it’s magic has leaked out
LOL.
Was thinking along similar lines as Aaron. Not because of that direct experience, but just being married to a technician who works on ‘autonomous’ order pickers & such. They frequently fail, and they are NOT truly ‘autonomous’, but always dependent upon some input & direction from somewhere & somebody. As information is digitalized, and corporate controls & licensing etc is centralized, protected more & more, fewer & fewer people can even hope to troubleshoot or to fix them when they fail, not able to access information…..while those who can access the information are such fantasizers detached more & more from reality that the implications are beyond scary.
–
Let us hope & pray that they fantasize themselves into total incapacity & the ridiculous before it grows much further. It’s already getting ridiculous. Another aspect of ‘clown’ world.
–
The other thing is that people working around such ‘autonomous’ equipment become dependent upon them & less able themselves. They forget that nothing is foolproof & become careless….& then the accidents begin to mount, and they’re not all bloodless: no matter how many herds of OSHA trained, power-tripping lesbo witches in shiny vests they deploy against it with the other arm of their ‘magic’.
–
God help us! I think I’ll just leave flying in those things to the magicians and their followers if I have any say in the matter, & the Lord allows.
–
Maybe that’s why we’ll be back to foot, donkey and horse power before it’s all said and done.
I should mention that he’s also having preliminary experience with the newest of the new lithium batteries in some of the newest of that equipment, autonomous or not.
–
They have a habit of losing their little minds if they do not continuously run, & are left idle for a few hours or days. And then it’s anybody’s bet what to do from there. If you can access information….ever tried reading a many-multipled page schematic or blueprint on a cellphone??? No doubt that’s a set-up for A.I. but not holding breath on that working either. There seems to be no end to the folly of mankind!
–
It’s like trying to find an answer in medical insurance land when there’s a ‘glitch’….nobody knows, it’s nobody’s fault, and the buck passes forever until the little guy just gives up and pays up.
You know those moments when you can sense something bad is going to happen a mile away, yeah get ready to hear of more crashes, it’s like one of my cat’s (Scrapper) when he plays and accidently crashes his head on the door, or the wall, or into another cat, he can’t make up his mind.
I’ve read a few good stuff here. Certainly value bookmarking for revisiting.
I surprise how a lot attempt you put to make such a great informative web site.
Pretty great post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted
to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your weblog posts.
In any case I will be subscribing for your feed and I’m hoping you write again soon!