Breaking New Ground: The Challenge of Certifying Autonomous Aircraft

Wisk Aero believes its self-flying Generation-6 air taxi could be safer than piloted flight.

Jack Daleo

Friday, April 03, 2026 at 03:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Wisk Aero Generation 6 aircraft [CreditL Wisk Aero]

Key Takeaways:

Wisk Aero is uniquely developing its Generation 6 VTOL air taxi for full autonomous flight from launch, differentiating itself from competitors who plan to introduce autonomy later.
The company aims to prove to the FAA that its autonomous operations are as safe as, or safer than, piloted flight through extensive testing, including flight and simulations, and is pursuing a single certification for the entire aircraft.
Wisk identifies the biggest hurdle for commercial launch as seamlessly integrating its autonomous aircraft into existing airspace and coordinating with air traffic control without increasing their workload, a challenge they hope to address through programs like the FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program.

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Owing to the novelty of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) technology, the FAA is requiring air taxi developers such as Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and Beta Technologies to complete a gauntlet of testing. One of them, Boeing’s Wisk Aero, is building an aircraft that incorporates not just VTOL but another emerging technology—autonomy.

Unlike Archer’s Midnight, Joby’s S4, or Beta’s Alia, Wisk’s Generation 6 is designed to fly autonomously from the jump. The all-electric, four-passenger design will use a combination of computers, predictive hardware and software, radar, sensors, and ground links to fly predefined routes, which will be overseen by remote Multi-Vehicle Supervisors. According to Wisk, though, it will be able to detect and avoid other aircraft on its own.