Volocopter flew one of its electric flying taxis during the games in Paris. It may not be what was originally planned, but the aviation pioneers can still claim success.
This was not the start of passenger flights as previously announced – but true to the Olympic motto “Taking part is everything”, the Baden-based air taxi manufacturer Volocopter completed a test flight near the venue for the equestrian and pentathlon competitions. Company boss Dirk Hoke spoke of an important milestone.
“The electrification of air traffic is a step we must take,” he told the German Press Agency. “We are pleased that we can show that this is not science fiction.” The validation phase for the regular operation of electric flights has now started from an airfield specially opened for this purpose in Saint-Cyr-l’École near Paris.
Type certification for passenger operations missing
The new aircraft with multiple rotors on the roof take off and land vertically. They are intended to revolutionize aviation and provide an alternative to road traffic, especially in densely populated cities. Cities are growing rapidly, but have no room for even more car traffic, as Hoke explained. Air taxis, which other manufacturers such as Lilium are also working on, could connect important hubs.
But they are just one of many tools, he made clear. “Of course, they are no substitute for mass transport.” The Volocopter model Volocity, for example, is a two-seater. And according to Hoke’s estimation, a pilot will have to be on board for many years to come, i.e. occupy one of the seats. The flight of the predecessor model 2X was recently seen in France.
In order for Volocopter to be allowed to transport passengers, the company from Bruchsal near Karlsruhe needs approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) – this is still pending. Hoke expects that a limited number of flights will be offered in various cities next year, with the trend then increasing.
Still a reason to celebrate
Volocopter’s original plans were much bigger: On the occasion of the Olympic Games, the company wanted to offer three connecting and two tourist flight routes in Paris. Five landing sites called vertiports were planned for this, one of them on a pontoon on the Seine. This was stated in a statement in June 2023.
Nevertheless, the test flights are a success. At the start of the international sporting event, it was still unclear whether they would even be approved. In addition, the city of Paris and several organizations had unsuccessfully expressed doubts about the operating license for a take-off and landing site. Volocopter has also recently been plagued by financial difficulties. State support from Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, which was discussed, did not materialize. In the end, the money came from investors. So now some good news.
ADAC Air Rescue: Air taxis are the “future of rescue services”
In principle, air taxis work like drones – only on a larger scale, explained Hoke. They are quieter than helicopters and safer because they do not have just one engine and many systems are redundant – meaning that replacements are available. Volocopter had to prove, for example, that they can land safely even if two of the 18 adjacent engines fail. In addition, the aircraft do not cause any emissions during flight. Although Hoke admitted that the overall carbon footprint needs to be improved.
In addition to Paris, Volocopter plans to launch in Rome and Osaka, among other places. Regular flights in Germany are not a priority, however, because the cities here are not as large or as densely populated and do not have self-sufficient local transport networks. In Germany, Volocopter is working with the ADAC air rescue service. The aim is to test the use for medical and rescue purposes.
Aaron Erd from ADAC Air Rescue said at the presentation in France: “We definitely see the future of rescue services here.” He believes that air taxis can improve rescue services. “They can solve problems that we currently have.” For example, many emergency doctor positions are currently unfilled. However, air taxis can cover larger areas and helpers can get to the scene of an emergency faster by air. However, passengers should not be transported in them.
Source: Stern
