The eVTOL sector is expected to create a lot of buzz in 2026, with several companies targeting commercial services. One of the under-the-radar eVTOL players is Wisk Aero, which designs all-electric, self-flying eVTOL air taxis as a wholly owned Boeing (BA) subsidiary headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Wisk Aero’s flagship aircraft line targets short-haul urban and regional passenger transport with zero operational emissions and fully autonomous flight from takeoff through landing.
Earlier in December, Wisk Aero completed the first successful flight of its Gen 6 autonomous eVTOL at its Hollister, California facility, validating vertical takeoff, hover, and stabilized flight modes for the certification article tied to its ongoing FAA application. The flight was described as a major industry milestone because it shows a fully autonomous, passenger-ready eVTOL progressing from prototype toward a certifiable configuration rather than a technology demonstrator.
Beyond aircraft milestones, Wisk is expanding its ecosystem partnerships to pave the way for autonomous operations in the National Airspace System. In 2025 the company signed a renewed five-year research agreement with NASA under a Space Act framework, focusing on air traffic management, integration of autonomous vehicles under instrument flight rules, and the standards needed for commercialized advanced air mobility services by the end of the decade.
Founded in 2019 as a joint venture between Boeing (BA) and Larry Page’s Kitty Hawk, Wisk has evolved through multiple aircraft generations and conducted thousands of test flights as it refines autonomy, safety, and certification-ready designs. Boeing (BA) acquired full ownership in 2023, positioning Wisk as its primary platform for autonomous eVTOL passenger services and giving the startup deep access to large-scale aviation engineering, certification, and manufacturing capabilities.
Notably, Wisk has participated in New Zealand’s Airspace Integration Trials and NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility and National Campaign initiatives to test autonomous operations in complex airspac
Looking ahead, Wisk Aero’s stated plan is to operate an autonomous air-taxi network using a rideshare-style model, where passengers book trips via an app and travel between vertiports on fixed urban and regional corridors. That service could place it in direct competition with other eVTOL air-taxi developers such as Archer Aviation (ACHR), Joby Aviation (JOBY), and Vertical Aerospace (EVTL).