Volocopter to test electric air taxis in Singapore in 2019

Volocopter will trial its air taxis in Singapore’s urban environments in the second half of 2019. The initiative is expected to lead to public demonstration flights. The company says the eVtols, based on drone technology, can carry two passengers for a distance up to 30 km. These air taxis can manoeuvre safely around skyscrapers to ensure a smooth ride for passengers, Volocopter adds. Volocopter will work with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to establish the scope of the trials
October 22, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
8772 Volocopter will trial its air taxis in Singapore’s urban environments in the second half of 2019. The initiative is expected to lead to public demonstration flights.  


The company says the eVtols, based on drone technology, can carry two passengers for a distance up to 30 km.

These air taxis can manoeuvre safely around skyscrapers to ensure a smooth ride for passengers, Volocopter adds.

Volocopter will work with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to establish the scope of the trials.  

Ho Yuen Sang, director (aviation industry), CAAS, says the partnership will study the technology’s technical capabilities and develop operational guidelines for the initiative.

Also, Volocopter will establish a product design and engineering team to support its expansion plans. The firm is looking to collaborate with real-estate developers, mobility providers and businesses to implement an air taxi service in Singapore.

Florian Reuter CEO of Volocopter, says: "Volocopter holds a preliminary permit to fly from the German authorities since 2016 and is cooperating with the European Aviation Safety Authority to receive a full commercial license”.

Aside from CAAS, the project is supported by the Ministry of Transport and the government’s Economic Development Board.

In %$Linker: 2 Internal <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 4 34945 0 link-external April false /sections/transmart/news/volocopter-to-launch-air-taxi-infrastructure-for-cities-within-ten-years/ false false%>, Volocopter unveiled its vision for an air taxi infrastructure for cities which it believes could integrate into transportation systems and provide mobility for up to 10,000 passengers per day. The company expects the technology to be available within the next ten years.

UTC

Related Content

  • March 28, 2018
    P3s offer new options for public transit agencies
    David Crawford welcomes new US guidance on public-private partnerships in the public transit sector. Public-private partnerships (P3s) are becoming increasingly favoured as a means of cost-effectively delivering much-needed public transit projects across the US. Previously, researched examples have tended to be on the large-scale while information on the potential for smaller, more localised schemes has been comparatively sparse. In a bid to fill that gap, the ‘Public Transportation Guidebook for Small
    Read More
  • November 8, 2018
    Call for papers open for ITS European Congress 2019
    Ertico-ITS Europe is inviting mobility professionals to submit papers for next year’s ITS European Congress in the Netherlands. The European Programme Committee wants papers for various sessions for the event in Brainport, which runs 3-6 June 2019. Experts are also invited to share ideas and discuss mobility challenges that cities face and how they can be addressed through ITS solutions. Draft papers should be a minimum of five pages for technical and commercial topics, and nine pages for scientif
    Read More
  • November 16, 2018
    OCTA launches on-demand microtransit service
    The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has launched an on-demand microtransit programme to help better match public transit services with how commuters want to travel. The one-year pilot, called OC Flex, will allow riders to take an eight-person shuttle between two zones – one in Huntington Beach and the northern city of Westminster and the other in three cities: Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel. Lisa Bartlett, OCTA chairwoman, says: "We hope that this innovative alternative will h
    Read More
  • January 2, 2018
    CVMA: Quebec's ZEV plan may create unintended consequences
    The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association’s (CVMA’s) president Mark Nantais has stated that Quebec’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulations “may result in unintended consequences for consumers, automobile dealers, industry and ultimately, Quebec's economy,” in response to the new strategy introduced by the province’s government. The standard aims to increase the number of ZEVs in the region and to reduce greenhouse gas and other pollutant emissions. It will come into effect on the 11 January 2018.
    Read More

Highlighted Content