Volocopter

Volocopter, a German eVTOL manufacturer, designs and builds electric aircraft for passenger and cargo transport, along with supporting infrastructure. Its portfolio includes the VoloCity air taxi, VoloRegion long-range aircraft, and VoloDrone cargo drone. Volocopter was the first eVTOL company to secure Design Organisation Approval (DOA) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The VoloCity, the company’s first launch product, is designed for two passengers and offers a 35 km range and a top speed of 110 km/h. The VoloRegion can carry four passengers, provides a 100 km range, and reaches 250 km/h, while the VoloDrone handles payloads of 200 kg over 40 km.

To enable eVTOL operations, Volocopter has developed modular VoloPort vertiports, adaptable to various urban and coastal environments, and VoloIQ, a cloud-based platform for overall operational management. The company collaborates with EASA and local partners to certify its aircraft and prepare for commercial launches. Services were projected to begin in Paris by 2025, with route planning and infrastructure development already underway.

In August 2024, Volocopter conducted crewed validation flights of its 2X demonstrator in Paris, replacing its planned demonstrations at the 2024 Paris Olympics. These tests showcased progress in urban air mobility technology and readiness for commercial eVTOL services, prompting plans to establish air taxi routes around Paris.

Key customers and partnerships

In April 2019, Volocopter partnered with Honeywell to develop landing systems for urban air mobility. In May 2022, it collaborated with Microsoft to create an aerospace cloud system using Microsoft Azure, supporting emerging eVTOL and UAM cloud computing needs. By June 2023, Volocopter had teamed up with ADAC Luftrettung to design next-generation eVTOL solutions for emergency medical services.

Volocopter has worked extensively on eVTOL infrastructure. In July 2021, the company partnered with CAE to establish a global air taxi pilot training program. In December 2021, Volocopter signed a joint venture with NEOM to develop a bespoke vertical mobility system for the futuristic city. In March 2023, it joined SITA to create digital infrastructure for vertiports, a critical component for future urban air mobility.

The company is actively preparing for passenger services. In October 2020, it partnered with Japan Airlines to launch urban air mobility services in Japan, followed by public test flights in 2023. In September 2023, Volocopter collaborated with Bristow to expand UAM services in the US and UK. Additionally, the company has formed partnerships to explore markets in China (with Geely), Italy (with Atlantia and Aeroporti di Roma), Los Angeles (with Urban Movement Labs), and Malaysia (with Malaysia Airports for vertiport feasibility). Services in Japan, through Sumitomo Corporation, were expected to begin in 2025.