Pilotless air taxi to be shown at Warbirds

This all-electric, self-flying air taxi will be one of the major attractions of a new ‘‘The...
This all-electric, self-flying air taxi will be one of the major attractions of a new ‘‘The Future of Aviation’’ exhibition at the 2022 Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
The world’s first all-electric, self-flying, vertical takeoff and landing air taxi will be on show at the 2022 Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow.

General manager Ed Taylor said there was a huge amount of work going on around the world on new propulsion technologies.

It was time for Warbirds Airshow visitors to be able to learn more about what was happening from the people at the forefront of the developments here in New Zealand, he said.

Wisk, an independent company backed by The Boeing Company and Kitty Hawk Corporation, in 2017 became the first company in the United States to successfully fly an autonomous eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft designed for passenger use.

The aircraft uses 12 independent lift fans, has a range of about 40km plus reserves and can travel at about 160kmh.

Wisk’s first aircraft arrived in New Zealand in 2017 and testing began in the Mackenzie Country in the South Island.

Its full-scale aircraft has completed more than 1500 test flights so far.

Mr Taylor said the Wisk air taxi was the first confirmed exhibit in the airshow’s The Future of Aviation space.

Other exhibitors would be announced over the coming months.

The 2022 Warbirds Over Wanaka will be held at Wanaka Airport on April 15, 16 and 17 next year.

kerrie.waterworth@odt.co.nz

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