Boeing-backed eVTOL startup Wisk Aero is being sued by a former employee who claims they were fired for reporting that the software behind the autonomous air taxi service failed to meet basic aviation software testing requirements.
According to a LinkedIn profile matching the plaintiff’s name and work history, Briahna O’Neill served as a systems engineering and product safety supervisor for Wisk Aero and reportedly led software integration for the aircraft’s vehicle management system (VMS) until March 31, 2025.
That day, 12 days after O’Neill claimed in her lawsuit that she had formally reported her concerns through Wisk’s internal safety reporting system and 10 days after she raised them directly with the company’s head of safety, O’Neill was fired.
“I spent years at Wisk believing in the company’s mission and the future of this technology,” O’Neill wrote in a statement The Seattle Times. “When I brought safety concerns to the company, I did so because I believed it was the right thing to do, not just for myself, but for every passenger who would one day fly with this technology.”
“Wisk’s response was unaccountable,” O’Neill continued. “It was retaliation.”
Table of Contents
What this is about
Image by Wisk Aero.
The VMS can be described as an aircraft’s operating system that coordinates all major onboard systems – systems such as sensors, batteries, motors, flight controls and communications – that enable assisted or autonomous flight. Because an aircraft’s VMS is responsible for so many critical functions, it typically goes through extensive cycles of safety and validation testing before it can be certified by regulators for use on a passenger aircraft.
O’Neill’s lawsuit alleges that the Wisk VMS contained “known defects” and excessive amounts of “spaghetti code” that had not gone through the basic verification steps, such as component testing and root cause analysis, required by DO-178C, the FAA-recognized certification standard for aviation software. O’Neill also claims that Wisk leadership pressured the team to further limit testing to meet the May deadline for a first flight of the company’s sixth-generation eVTOL aircraft.
On March 19, O’Neill filed a formal safety report concluding that the test cuts violated DO-178C. Twelve days later, on March 31, she was released; Her manager cited an “environment that hinders collaboration” and “program delays.”
The complaint portrays the firing as retaliation under California Labor Code Sections 1102.5, the state’s whistleblower protection law, and 6310, which prohibits retaliation against employees who report unsafe working conditions.
AIN ONLINE
O’Neill was told she was fired because she created an environment that “hindered collaboration” and caused “inefficiencies and program delays,” the lawsuit says.
The first flight of Wisk Aero’s Generation 6 autonomous eVTOL was ultimately pushed back to December 2025, when the aircraft performed its first vertical takeoff, hover and stabilization flight maneuvers at the company’s flight test facility in Hollister, California.
“The team at Wisk has developed advanced technologies in flight control, sensing, navigation, mission management, electrical power, systems integration and many others for a product designed to meet stringent safety requirements for a focused operational concept,” said Brian Yutko, vice president of product development for Boeing Commercial Airplanes and chairman of Wisk. “The engineering methods and technologies are all a valuable source of insight for Boeing as we work together and thoughtfully apply them to the future of flight.”
The case is currently scheduled to be heard at a case management conference in Santa Clara County Superior Court on December 2, 2026.
SOURCES: AIN, The Seattle Times, Wisk Aero.
If you are thinking about switching to solar energy, it is always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To ensure you find a trustworthy, reliable solar installer in your area that offers competitive pricing, shop around EnergySagea free service that makes it easier for you to get started with solar energy. Hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers compete for your business, ensuring you receive high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t receive sales calls until you select an installer and provide them with your phone number.
You can easily compare your individual solar offers online and gain access to unbiased energy advisors to support you every step of the way. Start here.
FTC: We use income generating auto affiliate links. More.
https://electrek.co/2026/07/06/whistleblower-claims-boeing-backed-wisk-rushed-testing-now-theres-a-lawsuit/
