CANTERBURY, New Zealand - The New Zealand government and Wisk, an urban air mobility (UAM) company, have announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a passenger transport trial in Canterbury, New Zealand. Wisk's self-flying, all-electric air taxi, called Cora, is the aircraft selected for the trials.
In October 2019, the New Zealand Government announced that it was establishing an industry-wide Airspace Integration Trial to work with leading, innovative domestic and international industry partners to safely test and demonstrate unmanned aircraft. Wisk, based in the United States and New Zealand, was announced as the first industry partner to join this program.
Around the globe, urban air mobility is an emerging, high-value industry and New Zealand is an attractive location because of its thriving innovation ecosystem with unique expertise, people and technology.
With the agreement now in place, the planning for a passenger transport trial in Canterbury is now underway. The passenger route is a world's first and will commence after Cora's certification by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.
