The German company Volocopter plans to offer commercial air taxi flights in Paris from summer 2024, promising a breakthrough for the air taxi sector in Europe. The company has already carried out test flights and set up “Voloports”, landing pads for the futuristic aircraft, in the French capital – in time for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Technological challenges
The delay in the development of eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) is due to technological challenges such as battery developments and regulatory approvals. Volocopter relies on strict safety standards, including “redundant components,” and plans to gradually introduce autonomous flight. For now, however, the air taxis will fly with pilots at least until the end of the decade.
The air taxis will travel in defined air corridors in order to win the “acceptance of the population”. Any noise nuisance shouldn’t be an issue, because the frequency of the electrically operated Volocopters should be significantly lower and therefore less annoying than the high-frequency whirring of small hobby drones, which is often perceived as annoying. The volume should be around 65 decibels, which is roughly equivalent to a normal conversation volume.
Volocopter: The first flights will cost 300 euros per person
The company, privately financed and valued as a unicorn, has so far raised €600 million in capital, with a further €300 to €500 million on the horizon. Dirk Hoke, CEO of Volocopter, reiterates that 2024 should mark a milestone for the introduction of air taxis. Flights will initially be limited to 21 kilometers to take safety aspects and regulatory approvals into account.
Volocopter aims to produce 18 aircraft by the end of the year and expand the infrastructure by integrating Voloports into existing transport concepts. The costs should then gradually decrease.
Test flight in Osaka, with a sewage treatment plant in the picture based on the designs of Friedensreich Hundertwasser. © Volocopter
Roma, Osaka, Neom…
Volocopter’s air taxis are intended to prove particularly useful in remote regions where conventional public transport cannot be operated economically. These regions are also represented in large numbers in Austria, which is why the company may also see a market here. After the premiere in Paris, Volocopter plans to expand its service to cities such as Rome, Osaka and the Saudi Arabian planned city of Neom in the coming years. Dirk Hoke is optimistic and believes that people who are still skeptical today will have integrated the use of air taxis into their everyday lives in ten years.
Volocopter flies to unicorn status and raises a fresh 153 million euros
Volocopter: This air taxi is set to go into commercial operation. The only question is when.