Volocopter has completed the first manned test flight in Singapore with its 2X electric aircraft. In addition, the company, together with its partner Skyports, has now put the spotlight on a prototype launch and landing infrastructure for e-taxis.

The flight over Marina Bay took about two minutes. The pilot put in the course of the experiment at an average height of 40 meters, a distance of about 1.5 kilometers.

At the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Singapore, Volocopter will also be presenting, at the same time, the announced first prototype of an e-flight taxis launch and landing infrastructure. The study, which was installed in cooperation with Skyports on a floating dock in Marina Bay, provides a "realistic demonstration of boarding and maintenance services for air taxis"

Volocopter air taxi flies over Singapore’s Marina Bay:

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Never before have people been so close to experiencing how urban air mobility will feel in the city of tomorrow. Already in 2018 Volocopter spoke for the first time of a special concept for the infrastructure of its urban electric air taxis.

Until the manned maiden flight, the Volocopter 2X went through intensive testing in Germany for several months.

Volocopter has been holding a provisional traffic approval from the German authorities since 2016 and is in close contact with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), for which the company is seeking commercial approval. Volocopter flies regularly in Germany and has been flown several times in the past several times. In September 2017, the startup completed an unmanned test flight over Dubai.

The Volocopter is a drone technology-based, electric VTOL for downtown traffic. The aircraft, reminiscent of helicopters, are powerful enough, according to the manufacturer, to fly two people for almost 30 km. They should be so quiet that they are no longer audible at an altitude of 100 meters from the normal urban noise.

"The flight today in Singapore was the most advanced Volocopter flight yet and the piloted flight was as stable as ever. At the same time, we are showcasing a prototype of our full-scale VoloPort Infrastructure, allowing for a realistic demonstration of air taxi boarding and maintenance services. Never before have people been this close to experiencing what Urban Air Mobility in the city of tomorrow will feel like," says Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter. 

"Since late 2018, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has been working with Volocopter to facilitate this flight in Singapore. The Volocopter team went through a series of stringent evaluations to ensure that all the necessary safety requirements were met before the flight was allowed to take place. By working closely with companies such as Volocopter, we hope to facilitate innovations for beneficial uses whilst ensuring aviation and public safety," said Mr. Ho Yuen Sang, Director (Aviation Industry) from CAAS.

"Volocopter's decision to testbed its innovative air taxi in Singapore is testament to the opportunities and environment that Singapore provides. The Singapore Economic Development Board hopes to be an enabling partner for companies developing new mobility technologies such as autonomous vehicles and urban aerial mobility. We are happy to support Volocopter in their development plans and hope that this is a first step towards the creation of more exciting business and job opportunities in Singapore," said Mr. Tan Kong Hwee, Assistant Managing Director, EDB.



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