Wisk and Fullerton Partner to Explore Autonomous Air Mobility

California city latest to join Wisk’s global development effort.

Wisk Fullerton agree to MOU.
Wisk Gen 6 eVTOL [Credit: Wisk Aero]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Wisk Aero has partnered with the City of Fullerton, California, via an MOU to develop infrastructure for autonomous, all-electric air taxi operations at Fullerton Municipal Airport.
  • The collaboration will focus on planning vertiports, IFR routes, operational and commercial considerations, and reviewing local policies to support advanced air mobility.
  • This agreement expands Wisk's network of partner cities and aims to establish a regional system of vertiports in Southern California for its autonomous, four-passenger Generation 6 eVTOL, expected to launch before 2030.
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Wisk Aero announced Wednesday that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Fullerton, California. The MOU sets out a collaboration between the city and the company towards potential infrastructure development for autonomous, all-electric air taxi operations at Fullerton Municipal Airport. The move adds Fullerton to Wisk’s growing list of partner cities worldwide, including Miami; Sugar Land, Texas; Brisbane, Australia; Kaga, Japan; and nearby Long Beach, California.

The partnership will focus on infrastructure planning, including vertiport requirements and IFR routes, as well as operational and commercial considerations such as training and maintenance facilities. Wisk and Fullerton will also review local policies and land-use codes to identify changes needed to support autonomous operations. 

Emilien Marchand, Wisk’s regional lead of ecosystem partnerships, said in a statement, “Our work together will not only assess the feasibility of advanced air mobility at FUL, but also help define the standards and processes for the entire industry.”

At launch, planned before the end of the decade, Wisk said its four-passenger Generation 6 eVTOL is expected to fly fully autonomous with oversight from remote supervisors. With a range of 72 nautical miles and a cruise speed between 110 and 120 knots, the company said the aircraft is designed for quiet, urban operations and runway-independent takeoffs and landings. 

Building on earlier collaborations in Long Beach and the company’s 2023 public flight demonstration in Los Angeles County, Wisk said the Fullerton agreement could unlock further regional partnerships to establish a Southern California network of vertiports.

Matt Ryan

Matt is AVweb's lead editor. His eyes have been turned to the sky for as long as he can remember. Now a fixed-wing pilot, instructor and aviation writer, Matt also leads and teaches a high school aviation program in the Dallas area. Beyond his lifelong obsession with aviation, Matt loves to travel and has lived in Greece, Czechia and Germany for studies and for work.

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Replies: 1

  1. Why would any municipality join in the hype?

    They should have gotten in the ground floor of the moller sky car. Equally glorious, equally guaranteed to kill passengers.

    Moller M400 Skycar - Wikipedia Moller M400 Skycar - Wikipedia

    But it is the governments fault they aren’t making billions.

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