Wisk and Japan Airlines partner to bring self-flying air taxis to Japan

Wisk Aero and Japan Airlines (JAL) are partnering to bring Wisk’s self-flying air taxi to Japan. 

Wisk and JAL Engineering (JALEC) will also work closely to develop plans for the maintenance and operation of Wisk’s autonomous all-electric air taxis. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed, establishing a framework between the two companies and the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB).

“We are excited to be partnering with Japan Airlines, a highly-respected leader in aviation both in Japan and globally,” said Brian Yutko, CEO of Wisk. “Wisk and Japan Airlines share a commitment to safe, accessible transportation and to ensuring that our services provide long-term benefit to the communities that we serve. We look forward to working together to bring autonomous everyday flight to Japan and to further advancing AAM in the broader APAC region.” 

Ryo Tamura, CEO of JALEC, adeed: “We are very honoured to partner with Wisk, a pioneer in autonomous eVTOL aircraft development. In Japan, the introduction of autonomous air travel is developing and we strongly feel that this partnership with Wisk is the first step towards the development of the next generation of safe air mobility in Japan.”

Specifically, the MOU establishes a framework for: research towards launching fleet operations for Wisk’s 6th Generation taxi, including: type certification approval in Japan and MRO requirements. supporting discussion with JCAB and relevant Japanese government agencies and development of a path to a demonstration flight in Japan.

“We are thrilled to be announcing this new partnership with Japan Airlines, a partner that so closely shares our values,” said Catherine MacGowan, Wisk’s APAC Regional Director. “Japan represents a large, densely populated market where air taxi services can provide real, positive impact for local communities. We look forward to further pursuing the potential introduction of our self-flying, all-electric air taxis in Japan, and are encouraged by the growing interest within the broader APAC region for these types of services.”