Senior Controls Engineer

Boeing, SkyGrid and Wisk introduce concept of operations for automated flight rules. Boeing, SkyGrid, and Wisk have jointly introduced a Concept of Operations for Automated Flight Rules (AFR) - a foundational framework that defines how highly automated and uncrewed aircraft will integrate into airspace. Soft-released during the CANSO Airspace Asia Pacific conference in Hong Kong, the AFR Concept of Operations proposes a new operating mode that enables the safe, efficient, and scalable airspace integration of highly automated and uncrewed aircraft; leverages novel aircraft and ground-based systems to automate traffic management functions in specific scenarios; and unlocks new operational opportunities from free-flight concepts to high-density flows in dedicated corridors. The Concept of Operations provides use cases and system implications for airspace, aircraft and aerodromes as well as a roadmap for future rulemaking, harmonisation, and research. "For nearly a century, aviation has relied on two primary operating modes: Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). These frameworks have supported modern aviation's safety, growth and overall impact, yet they were not designed with highly automated aircraft in mind, such as those equipped with detect-and-avoid systems and advanced mission management automation," the companies said in a joint press release. "AFR is designed to address this gap by complementing, not replacing, VFR and IFR, and by being available to any properly equipped airspace user." The companies said AFR will introduce higher levels of automation into how air traffic is organised and how aircraft remain safely separated in specific airspaces and scenarios. AFR is intended to support safe, routine uncrewed aircraft operations without the need for waivers or exceptions. It is hoped that the rules will offer greater enroute trajectory flexibility to AFR operators by allowing for more complex flight trajectories that remain safely and efficiently deconflicted. The companies also said AFR will improve airspace access for new entrants, without an associated increase in air traffic controller workload. "Aviation now has both the need and the technological readiness to introduce a new ruleset built with higher automation in mind," the companies said. "The AFR Concept of Operations is designed to catalyse global dialogue and align the ecosystem - including ICAO, CAAs, ANSPs, operators and technology providers - around a shared direction."

This air taxi can fly without a pilot: an exclusive look inside Wisk's newest aircraft. Riding in a self-driving car may feel wildly futuristic, but one company is aiming to take autonomous transportation to new heights with its air taxis. Wisk, which was founded in 2010 and acquired by Boeing in 2023, is developing autonomous aircraft that can get you across town in a fraction of the time it would take to drive. The airborne taxis can fly a distance of 90 miles at up to 120 knots, or around 140 miles per hour - on par with the average speed of a commercial helicopter. Wisk has carried out nearly 2,000 test flights and recently unveiled the sixth generation of its air taxi. CNET stopped by the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California, for an exclusive early look. Unlike other companies developing air taxis, such as Joby and Archer, Wisk aims to launch as a self-flying transportation mode from the outset. The planes are designed without a pilot's seat, creating space inside for four passengers. The company plans to launch its autonomous flights in 2030, pending certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. It'll take off first in Houston, Los Angeles and Miami. An exclusive look at Wisk's redesigned aircraft. The new sixth-generation Wisk aircraft feels more like the inside of an SUV than a plane. It has a roomy interior with four seats and four doors. There are armrests, cup holders and charging ports, as well as compartments for stowing smaller carry-on items like backpacks and purses. Each person has access to their own door, so you don't have to awkwardly climb over anyone to get in or out. No middle seats here! There's also Wi-Fi and air conditioning onboard - which isn't always a given on smaller planes - that will hopefully make the ride more comfortable. Screens inside the aircraft show a safety briefing - which is especially important when there's no pilot or flight attendant onboard - followed by the flight path during the journey. "Part of trusting an autonomous aircraft is believing, knowing, that it knows where it's going," said Uri Tzarnotzky, Wisk's director of product design. "If you're flying in a dense urban area with skyscrapers, or if you're flying [over] an LA basin and you're surrounded by terrain, knowing that the aircraft knows those things are there is huge. It's like your Tesla or your Waymo showing you that there's other cars or pedestrians. It's the same thing." Wisk's air taxi may not have a pilot onboard, but there are still people on the ground monitoring the aircraft who can intervene if there's a problem. They can communicate with air traffic control and facilitate an expedited landing if there's an issue. A camera constantly monitors the cabin in case of an emergency, and there's a call button both in the aircraft and in the Wisk mobile app if you need help. Preparing for take-off. The sixth-gen Wisk aircraft hasn't flown just yet, but the goal is to get it up in the air by the end of this year for testing. It'll be at least a few years before customers can hitch a ride. "Bringing passengers onboard is a huge milestone, and it requires a lot of eyes along the way - and a big set of eyes is the FAA," Tzarnotzky said. "We are currently in the process of certifying gen 6 with the FAA. It's the first four-seat, fully electric, autonomous air taxi in a certification program with the FAA now." Tzarnotzky said Wisk could get the green light to take off with passengers before the end of the decade, but it's ultimately up to the FAA. In the meantime, the company will continue testing and integrating with the airspace to prepare for launch. Although Wisk's aircraft is autonomous, AI doesn't play quite as central a role as one might expect. "The aircraft isn't thinking, it's not doing machine learning. It's actually doing something very reliable and predictable," Tzarnotzky said. Like commercial flights today, which rely heavily on automated systems to reduce the pilot's workload, "Gbotech is flying a preprogrammed route - with alternate locations in case of an emergency, alternate locations in case of weather - but it's all preprogrammed. "The only thing it's doing on the fly is detecting and avoiding potential hazards," Tzarnotzky continued. "So if you have someone not talking to ATC flying in your way, our aircraft can see that aircraft, avoid it and then get back on track and finish that flight without anyone having to intervene. That's the only real autonomous aspect." When landing, the aircraft will communicate with on-the-ground systems that can see the landing zone and make sure it's all clear. Hailing an autonomous air taxi. When Wisk becomes available to the public, you'll use an app to plan your entire journey. That includes how you'll get to the aircraft, the flight itself and then your transportation from the landing point to your final destination. Wisk will partner with other companies to ideally make each of those transportation steps available in that one app - whether it's taking a scooter, riding a bike or hailing a rideshare - so your trip is covered from start to finish. How much flights will cost is still up in the air. "It's gonna change over time. It'll obviously go down over time, especially as this starts to scale - which you could only do with an autonomous system," Tzarnotzky said. "Right now, we're talking about something like an Uber Black. That's kind of the order of magnitude you can expect at entry into service." Initially, this service will likely cater most to business travelers getting off of commercial flights who want a quick air ride to their next destination - especially since prices are likely to be high in the beginning. Don't miss any of its unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. Over time, Wisk plans to expand availability and have the aircraft land in more central, convenient locations on what are called vertiports. These are essentially helipads with charging infrastructure, which might also house amenities for passengers such as bathrooms and restaurants. Wisk says it only takes 15 minutes to charge the aircraft. That means it can be done in around the time it takes to get passengers off a flight and prepare the cabin for the next riders. If you're still feeling uneasy about flying on an aircraft without a pilot, Wisk says its tech will actually make flights safer. "There are redundant systems on board - redundant software, battery, propulsion," Tzarnotzky said. "Everything is fail-safe, there's no single point of failure. It's incredibly safe." Still, there might be a learning curve for getting used to a plane that flies itself. But autonomy seems to be shaping the future of transportation - both on the ground and in the skies. Check out the video above for a look at Wisk's latest sixth-generation aircraft.

Wisk Aero selects Liebherr Aerospace for the Generation 6 evtol actuation system. Wisk Aero and Liebherr-Aerospace today announced an agreement for the development and supply of the actuation system for Wisk's Generation 6 autonomous, all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. "Wisk selected Liebherr to provide a comprehensive electro-mechanical actuation system, which provides control of the aircraft's flight surfaces - including flaperons, elevators, and rudders - as well as the critical tilt angle of the tilting propulsion system," said Wisk in a press release. "This new agreement extends through the entire development program, certification efforts, and into full-rate, scaled production." "The actuation system is one of the most critical systems on our aircraft," said Eric Haugen, Head of Supply Chain Management at Wisk. "Selecting Liebherr, a well-established, world-class aerospace company, as our long-term supplier for this system is a major milestone for the program. Their institutional knowledge, combined with our innovative approach, has created a powerful, collaborative team dedicated to delivering a safe, certified, all-electric aircraft." Liebherr is adapting its proprietary modular flight control system, LiVCAS(R), to fit the smaller, all-electric architecture of the Gen 6 aircraft. Wisk's Avionics and Flight Control System teams have been working closely with Liebherr to seamlessly integrate their technology. "We are very pleased to have been selected by Wisk to develop and deliver the actuation system," said Dr. Klaus Schneider, Chief Technology Officer, Liebherr-Aerospace & Transportation SAS. "Our versatile, modular, flight control actuation concept has convinced our customer, and we look forward to a long-term partnership with Wisk to help shape the future of air transportation." The electro-mechanical actuators and actuator electronic units will be manufactured primarily at Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH (Germany), Liebherr's centre of competence for flight control systems, and Liebherr-Electronics and Drives GmbH in Lindau (Germany).