The trial is part of a NZ government program designed to encourage aerospace innovators to choose the small island nation as a development test bed. The Airspace Integration Trials Programme, according to the NZ government, "is dedicated to supporting the safe testing, development and market validation of advanced unmanned aircraft in New Zealand," and hopes to, "accelerate their integration into our aviation system."

That'll include delivery drone trials, as well as experiments like this one, and it's a clear sign to the aviation industry that NZ wants to open doors for these next-gen aviation pioneers that might be shut elsewhere.

Wisk (now there's a name for an experimental aviation company), formerly known as Zephyr Airworks, is independent from Kitty Hawk and Boeing, but backed by both. Kitty Hawk has provided the aircraft: its autonomous Cora 2-seater, which we first saw in 2018. It's a small, winged electric multirotor using 12 small electric rotors for VTOL liftoff, and a larger pusher prop at the back for efficient winged flight.