Japan Airlines, Wisk Aero Partner to Launch Flying Taxi Service

The companies seek to deploy autonomous eVTOL aircraft into Japanese airspace.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, May 09, 2023 at 05:41 PM ET

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Wisk Aero’s Generation 6 self-flying eVTOL will be able to seat up to four passengers. [Courtesy: Wisk Aero]

Key Takeaways:

Japan Airlines (JAL) and Wisk Aero have partnered to develop and certify Wisk's self-flying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for commercial air taxi services in Japan.
Japan is a highly competitive market for air taxis, with multiple airlines and companies, both local and international, actively pursuing agreements and development for eVTOL services.
Aviation authorities in the U.S. (FAA) and Japan (JCAB) are collaborating on regulatory frameworks to enable these services, with many companies targeting commercial launches around 2025.
Initially, air taxis are expected to be expensive and serve niche markets, with widespread adoption and fully autonomous operations, like those proposed by Wisk, representing a longer-term industry goal.

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One of the largest airlines in the world could soon operate a line of self-flying aircraft.

On Tuesday, Mountain View, California-based Wisk Aero and Japan Airlines (JAL) announced a partnership that seeks to lay the groundwork for autonomous aviation. The companies are looking to certify and demonstrate Wisk’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Japan, working with that country’s government agencies to clear a flight path for air taxis nationwide.