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Cora eVTOL Set to Resume Flight Testing in New Zealand

by Charles Alcock

 - May 8, 2020, 6:34 AM

Wisk's Cora eVTOL aircraft had completed more than 1,200 test flights before the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in New Zealand interrupted its flight test program. [Photo: Wisk]

This story is part of AIN's continuing coverage of the impact of the coronavirus on aviation.

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Wisk hopes to resume flight testing of its Cora eVTOL aircraft before the end of May, subject to the further lifting of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in New Zealand, where much of the program’s development work is being conducted. Since April 28, when New Zealand moved from level four to level three of its lockdown, Wisk technicians have been able to work in the company’s hangar preparing its prototypes to fly. Tests will be able to restart when level two is achieved, possibly by the end of next week.

“New Zealand has done a good job [responding to the Covid-19 pandemic], having been very restrictive early on,” explained Gary Gysin, CEO of California-based Wisk. “We will probably be able to resume flight testing earlier than we would have been able to do in the U.S. and this gives us an advantage.”

The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand recently held talks with the FAA to agree on plans for American officials to be able to observe type certification work on the Cora and share data. Gysin told AIN he hopes this will help to establish the safety track record of the fully-autonomous, all-electric aircraft, saving some time for the program and also “generating trust and confidence.”

The lastest Wisk prototype aircraft is the fourth iteration of the two-seat model and the company said it has been making refinements as it gets closer to defining the production version. According to Gysin, the multi-rotor propulsion system architecture is essentially finalized, although it remains open to possible improved battery technology. The company, which has yet to release full specifications, intends to the weight of the Cora to allow more payload and will also add more detect and avoid sensors.

To date, the four prototypes have made just over 1,200 flights. The engineering team is now focusing on issues such as how to incorporate lightning strike protection.

Gysin said that during disruption to Cora’s flight test program, the company has redeployed employees to focus on documentation work that he hopes will save time in the latter stage of the certification process. “In a strange way, it [the disruption] has helped because when you are busy developing and innovating you don’t stay on top of the documentation,” he said.