Wisk Aero Wants Self-Flying Air Taxis in Long Beach, California

Wisk Aero has partnered with community leaders to pave the way for bringing self-flying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to the city.

Thom Patterson

Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 01:01 PM ET

Verified

Wisk Aero is the latest eVTOL player to partner with community leaders in Southern California. [Courtesy: Wisk Aero]

Key Takeaways:

Wisk Aero has partnered with the Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) to plan and implement self-flying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi service in Long Beach.
The partnership aims to evaluate the economic and job market impact, as well as community acceptance of autonomous, zero-emission air taxis.
Southern California is emerging as a significant hub for the air taxi industry, attracting companies due to its favorable climate, environmental concerns, and embrace of green technology.
Wisk advocates for autonomous eVTOLs, believing they offer greater safety and cost-effectiveness compared to piloted options, though a human will always remain "in the loop."

See a mistake? Contact us.

Offering another signal that Southern California could be an important cradle for the emerging air taxi industry, Wisk Aero has partnered with community leaders to pave the way for bringing self-flying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to Long Beach.

In its announcement Wednesday, the Boeing-backed eVTOL developer said its agreement with the Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP) aims to create a larger working group made up of business, local government, and community leaders to focus on evaluating, planning, and implementing air taxi service “with a focus on autonomous flight.”