The next technology aimed at by Google founder, the air taxi market (AMP [amplifier]) that expands to 17 trillion yen --Yahoo! News

Next -generation mobility in which Google founder invests funds

The next technology aimed at by Google founder, the air taxi market expanding to 17 trillion yen

The development of next -generation air mobility is accelerating in Japan and overseas, such as flying cars and drones. In the United States, the startup WISK AERO, which has recently developed next -generation air mobility in a joint venture with a company supported by Google co -founder Larry Page, has a large procurement of $ 450 billion (about 51.7 billion yen) from Boeing. It has become a hot topic for implementation. WISK AERO was a startup that started in 2019 as a joint venture between Kitty Hawk and Boeing, an air taxi company supported by Page. The company is based in Silicon Valley and New Zealand. Currently, the number of employees is about 350, but we will hire new human resources with the funds raised this time, accelerate development and manufacturing processes, and aim for commercialization within five years. It is expanded in 20 markets worldwide, aiming to carry out 14 million flights a year. WISK AERO is developing a vehicle classified as an electric vertical detached land (EVTOL). Literally, it is an electric vehicle that can fly like a helicopter, and is developed for short -term travel in the city. EVTOL itself is not unusual, and multiple startups such as Joby, Archer Aviation, and Lilium have already entered, and development competition seems to intensify.

WISK AERO website

WISK AERO is differentiated by air taxi development without pilots.In addition, the specifications of the latest model of Wisk Aero, which are now revealed, are as follows.First, the overall length is 21 feet (about 6).4 meters), the overall width is 36 feet (about 10 meters). The flight altitude is 1500 to 5000 feet (about 457-1524 meters), which is expected to move about 40 kilometers. The flight speed is about 160 km / h. The market that WISK AERO focuses is also included in the United States and the Asia Pacific. The fact that it has a base suggests that New Zealand and Australia are strategically important. At the New Zealand base, Catherine McGowan, a group captain of the New Zealand Air Force, has been responsible for the Asia -Pacific category. It is expected that McGogwan, who had also been a senior in the New Zealand government, will be a pipe with the government, and will contribute to the government's legislative discussion. In the development of EVTOL, the test flight of a full -scale model, including the competition, has been carried out many times, and it seems that technical issues have been steadily cleared. On the other hand, the commercialization of air taxis needs to clear the issues of laws and regulations in addition to technical issues. In this regard, experts are dominant that at least five years will be required in the United States. Each startup needs to meet the strict safety standards set by authorities. In New Zealand, the commercialization of Wisk Aero may be realized earlier than the United States. In February 2020, the company signed a memorandum of test flights with passengers with the New Zealand government. The memorandum includes a test flight in the city of Christchurch, a city in the southeastern part of the country, as soon as the New Zealand Airlines has obtained approval.

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