Sign of the times: Smithsonian aviation museum gets its first eVTOL from Wisk
August 8, 2025
Wisk Aero‘s Generation 3 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
The Gen 3 prototype will be on display from August 2025 through February 2027. Wisk has also donated a subscale model of its latest Gen 6 autonomous air taxi as part of the permanent exhibit.
AAM on display at the Smithsonian as first eVTOL arrives
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum contains the world’s most comprehensive collection of aviation and space artefacts. Wisk’s Gen 3 and Gen 6 eVTOLs are the first aircraft exhibited in the emerging field of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).
“We are always excited to display the latest technological advances in aviation,” said Roger Connor, vertical flight curator at the museum. “Advanced Air Mobility uses recent advances in propulsion, flight controls, batteries and materials to create new ways to fly. Since this is a rapidly expanding field with billions of dollars of investment and the US government has made certification of these types of aircraft a priority, it is something we are eager to interpret and display for the public.”
Wisk’s history of eVTOL development
Since its founding in 2010, Wisk has built six generations of electric aircraft and conducted over 1,750 full-scale test flights.
Wisk developed the Gen 3 aircraft in 2015, and the aircraft first flew in early 2016. The Gen 3 was the first piloted eVTOL aircraft to transition from vertical hover to wingborne cruise flight and back again.
Pilots Aaron Rouland, Bill Shoemaker, Dave Morss, and RJ Schreiner flew the Gen 3 during its test program. It logged 70 test flights over its operational life.
Wisk’s Gen 3 validated a new aircraft configuration and laid a foundation for the company’s ongoing development. Using 12 electric lifting propellers for vertical flight and two pusher propellers for cruise flight, the aircraft demonstrated how distributed electric propulsion can safely replace traditional mechanical flight systems.
“Gen 3 is not only an important part of our story, but of advanced air mobility more broadly,” said Jim Tighe, Gen 3 Chief Engineer and CTO at Wisk. “It is a milestone aircraft that demonstrated that safe, reliable eVTOL aircraft are real. Now we’re looking forward to bringing the joy of flight to everyone every day.”
Wisk became a fully-owned Boeing subsidiary in 2023. The acquisition allows Wisk to utilise Boeing’s development, testing, and certification expertise while remaining independent.
The technology behind Wisk’s Gen 3 and Gen 6 eVTOL aircraft
Gen 3 and Gen 6 both use distributed electric propulsion, which consists of several small motors and propellers. This approach does not require heavy engines and mechanical transmissions, reducing noise and emissions, and increasing redundancy and safety.
Although the AAM industry uses a variety of power sources, including hybrid and hydrogen-powered designs, Wisk’s aircraft operate entirely on battery power.
Gen 6 is Wisk’s latest development, a fully autonomous four-passenger air taxi undergoing safety testing. Unlike the Gen 3, which required a pilot, the Gen 6 is designed for autonomous flight, supporting Wisk’s long-term goal of providing everyday air mobility.
How to spot Wisk Gen 3 and Gen 6 at the Smithsonian
Wisk’s Gen 3 eVTOL and Gen 6 models are currently on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Centre, 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington Dulles International Airport. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed December 25). Admission is free, and parking is $15.
This exhibit provides visitors with a firsthand look at the technologies shaping the next century of aviation.
