German air taxi startup Volocopter, originally aiming to debut its commercial service during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, has postponed these plans due to several challenges. Instead, the company carried out a demonstration flight yesterday at the Saint-Cyr-lâĂcole airfield, marking a significant, albeit scaled-back, milestone in its journey.
The Bruchsal-based startup successfully completed a piloted test flight at what is now the first customized commercial vertiport for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. This airfield, located approximately 25 kilometers from central Paris, became the alternative site for the test after protests thwarted Volocopterâs original plan to launch from a floating vertiport on the Seine.
The demonstration flight was brief, lasting only two minutes. A pilot took off from the airfield, executed a short loop over the surrounding fields, and landed safely. Notably, Volocopter used its older 2X model for the test, rather than the latest VoloCity aircraft.
Volocopter had initially envisioned offering air taxi services for the first time during the Olympic Games, planning three connecting routes and two tourist routes across Paris. However, these plans were derailed partly due to the need for a type certificate from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for passenger flights. Additionally, the city of Paris opposed the construction of a vertiport on the Seine, citing concerns over cost and accessibility.
Despite these setbacks, Volocopter’s CEO Dirk Hoke expressed optimism about the companyâs progress. “Everyone at Volocopter is incredibly proud of how far the company has come and what it means to fly today at Saint-Cyr-lâĂcole,â Hoke said. He emphasized the importance of building trust with partners, aviation authorities, and the city of Paris, which has become a leader in the development of urban air mobility networks.
Looking ahead, Volocopter plans to revisit its floating vertiport project on the Seine near Austerlitz station later this year. The company is also focused on obtaining the Type Certification for the VoloCity and preparing to launch a test phase for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Germany in collaboration with ADAC Luftrettung by 2025.
