Germany's Volocopter Flying Taxi Milestone

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  Rome's Vertiport at Fiumicino International Airport






                                        Source:  Volocopter

1st Piloted eVTOL Flight in Italy

German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle startup Volocopter has just successfully completed its first crewed public test flight in Rome.  The flying taxi launched from a new vertiport at Rome's Fiumicino International Airport.  The test was designed to showcase both the Volocopter flying taxi and Rome's 1st vertiport. It also provided the public with a new perspective on how urban air mobility vehicles might effectively work to ferry passengers between the city of Rome and Fiumicino Airport.  The Airport is planning to go fully commercial and operational with the vertiport, which will be a first for Italy.  Volocopter expects to be fully operational in Rome, Singapore and elsewhere with flying taxi services in 2024. 

What The Flight Achieved

The Volocopter 2X did a figure 8 in the skies over Rome at a comfortable speed of 25 mph and at an altitude of 131 feet during the 5-minute test flight for the 2-seat flying taxi.  Volocopter also demonstrated its proprietary VololQ digital platform that supports the management of flight operations, passenger bookings and will enable the company to scale up flight operations in cities around the world. The eVTOL is one of the world's leading flying taxis that flies on 18 rotors.

Rome's First Vertiport

The Airport's vertiport is a first for Italy.  It is designed to test eVTOLs for flight and ground operations.  The facility is sized at 5,500 sq. ft and includes approach and takeoff areas (FATO) for both landings and takeoffs.  There also are a big hanger for the eVTOLs, parking areas, offices and battery charging areas.  Fiumicino Airport hopes that their vertiport, testing programs and eventual commercial operations will serve as a paradigm for the design and construction of vertiports internationally.  Volocopter 2X's flight and Rome's vertiport are harbingers of the coming of flying taxis as part of the future of travel.  Volocopter has also successfully testing a 4-seat drone taxi.

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