German air taxi developer Volocopter has its sights set on further operational milestones as it regroups following the Paris Olympics, where it had intended to launch commercial operations of its fourth-generation multi-rotor vehicle, VoloCity, but had to be satisfied with conducting a series of demonstration flights under a permit-to-fly.
Volocopter had been looking forward to making a big splash during the Paris games, but was reined in due to security concerns. Instead, the Bruchsal, Germany-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) developer’s VoloCity flew seven demonstration flights, six of which took place at the newly built vertiport at the aerodrome of Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole and one at the Palace of Versailles.
The flights at Saint Cyr launched the “operational validation phase, a pre-commercial test series to mature the eVTOL ecosystem in France”.
“City launches take time to establish a foothold on the ground, and through open communication and dedication, Volocopter has become an embodiment of trust, from our partners, Europe’s leading aviation authorities, and Paris which has become one of the most advanced [air mobility] networks in the world,” the company’s chief executive Dirk Hoke said on 8 August.
Following those successful demonstration flights, Volocopter has been asked to return to Paris, and was requested to fly “around the time of the Notre Dame opening”, scheduled for the end of this year, a Volocopter spokesperson tells FlightGlobal on 14 August.
“Every new location and flight take tremendous effort from us, our partners, and authorities,” Hoke said after the Versailles flight. “The sustainable air mobility community is still at the start line, but today’s flight in this exceptional environment was the perfect closing ceremony to our summer, as we look forward to returning to Paris very soon.”
In addition, tests of the company’s VoloCity aircraft, configured as a medical rescue vehicle, will begin with ADAC Luftrettung in Germany once type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency is achieved – expected to be later this year as well.
Last year ADAC Luftrettung, one of Germany’s largest air rescue organsations, agreed to customise two VoloCity aircraft for emergency medical missions, and add up to 150 more later, pending a successful test phase.
The VoloCity aircraft will be tested over a two-year period in the Idar-Oberstein and Dinkelsbuehl regions in western Germany.
“We will fly in Japan at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka,” the company adds. Like the uncertainty it faced in Paris, it is unclear yet as to what kind of flights will be able to take place – be it exhibition flights, demonstrations, transport options or similar.
As development continues, fundraising remains a top priority for Hoke and his team. Like others in the eVTOL space, Volocopter is burning cash as it races to certification.
In late April, the company was confronted with a potential crisis when an expected German state loan guarantee of up to €100 million ($110 million) did not materialise, leaving it to scramble for alternative means of financing. It had already raised already €500 million in start-up support for the costly certification journey.
At the time, Hoke told journalists that declaring insolvency was not off the table.
“Volocopter has been transparent that the fundraising market has been difficult in the past few years,” he told FlightGlobal. “The German federal government is still very supportive of Volocopter… but in general, Germany has very limited mechanisms to support start-ups in the late stages of financing.”
In June, the company received a financial lifeline from “existing shareholders”, but did not disclose how much or from whom.
Now, Volocopter says that it is seeing increased activity from China, through its joint venture with Aerofugia, a subsidiary of China’s Geely Technology Group, which had in the past already expressed interest in up to 150 aircraft.
“Now that the Chinese government have added advanced air mobility to its national strategic agenda, Aerofugia has increased activities rapidly,” a spokesperson says. “We expect more to come for us in 2025, but we do not have concrete plans as of yet.”
