Volocopter’s four-seater eVTOL aircraft takes first flight
Urban air mobility (UAM) company Volocopter’s fixed-winged passenger aircraft, the VoloConnect, has completed its first test flight.
The eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, which seats up to four…
Urban air mobility (UAM) company Volocopter’s fixed-winged passenger aircraft, the VoloConnect, has completed its first test flight.
The eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, which seats up to four people and has a range of up to 60 miles, made the flight in May.
Volocopter said the accomplishment makes it the only eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) developer in the Western hemisphere to have an entire fleet of distinct aircraft configurations undergoing flight tests.
Extended range and higher payload
Volocopter said VoloConnect’s extended range and higher payload would be able to connect travellers and on routes beyond the city centre, such as Burbank to Huntington Beach in Los Angeles, California.
VoloConnect is targeting a 2026 entry into service, while the VoloCity is targeting commercial launch in 2024.
Florian Reuter, the Volocopter CEO, said: “Having a whole family of electric aircraft in the test flight phase is a pioneering feat. Volocopter’s leadership in the industry stems from announcing plans and then delivering on them visibly with public test flights.
“Our technology platform is the foundation for our family of aircraft approach and has proven to deliver results at an astounding speed. Volocopter is bringing these innovative designs off the ground, into the air, and then to cities worldwide.”
Key milestone
Sebastian Mores, Volocopter Chief Engineer for VoloConnect, said: “This is an extraordinary moment for us – seeing the VoloConnect soar to the sky marks the achievement of one of our key milestones and demonstrates just what we are capable of in a short time and in line with the company’s overall strategy for crewed and uncrewed aircraft.
“Furthermore, new technologies will be tested that will gradually be implemented during the overall programme development.”
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