Lawsuit claims Boeing-backed Wisk rushed eVTOL software testing

A former Wisk Aero engineer is suing the Boeing-backed air taxi company, claiming she was fired after reporting that its flight software hadn't gone through required safety testing. Briahna O'Neill, who oversaw software for the aircraft's flight control system, says the code had "known defects" and had skipped basic checks required under DO-178C, the FAA's certification standard for aviation software. She claims company leaders pushed to cut testing further to hit a deadline for the first flight of Wisk's newest self-flying aircraft, and that she was let go 12 days after filing a formal safety report, with her manager citing "program delays" as the reason.

This is a lawsuit over an air taxi that doesn't exist in most people's neighborhoods yet, so it has no direct bearing on home energy upgrades or rebates. Wisk's aircraft is an electric vertical-takeoff aircraft meant to fly autonomously, and the case centers on whether its operating software was properly vetted before a planned test flight, which ended up happening in December 2025 in Hollister, California. The lawsuit is set for a court hearing in Santa Clara County in December 2026.

For homeowners, the story is worth knowing only as a data point on how a major aerospace-backed electric aviation project is unfolding, not as something tied to home electrification, heat pumps, or rebate programs. It's a reminder that "electric" technology spans far beyond the house, from cars to now flying taxis, but this particular dispute doesn't affect any equipment or incentives available to homeowners.