Blade Urban Air Mobility and Wisk Aero announced an arrangement for the latter to provide Blade with up to 30 Electric Vertical Aircraft (EVA or eVTOL).
Wisk is an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) company dedicated to delivering safe, everyday flight for everyone. It is the company behind the first all-electric, autonomous eVTOL aircraft in the US. Following FAA certification, both the companies intend to deploy the aircraft on short-distance routes between Blade's network of dedicated terminals throughout the US, with Wisk aircraft being chartered by Blade at an hourly rate on those routes.
The companies will also form a working group to assist in deploying technologies necessary for aircraft charging and next-generation air traffic management. The working group will also leverage Blade's six years of experience with UAM services in the most congested markets to inform future Wisk design principles. Wisk currently operates autonomous eVTOL aircraft pursuant to experimental type certificates and plans to begin initial test flights in Blade's key service areas when possible.
'We look forward to working with Wisk to help accelerate Blade's transition from conventional rotorcraft to safe, quiet, emission-free Electric Vertical Aircraft,' said Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade.
'This arrangement validates that UAM is the future of mobility,' said Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk. 'To date, we have been focused on developing an aircraft and customer experience that is efficient, accessible, and - most importantly - safe. The combination of our expertise as an autonomous eVTOL aircraft manufacturer and operator, with the operational expertise of Blade, will help usher in an even greater level of safety and service.'