German flying taxi manufacturer, Volocopter, has secured long-awaited permission to operate trial flights over Paris, close to the end of the Olympic Games.
The trial flights, scheduled to begin on Thursday, will use Volocopter’s electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
The green light for the trials followed initial doubts about the realisation of the joint project between Volocopter and Aéroports de Paris (ADP). They had been on hold pending a decision by the French Civil Aviation Authority, DGAC, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Initially, the plan was to launch commercial air taxi services during the Games. However, delays in acquiring EASA-type certification led to the review of the original plans, limiting the flights to tests.
Last year, Volocopter and ADP announced the launch of a flying taxi network in Paris, featuring three regular routes and two tourist circuits. They planned five ‘vertiports’ or dedicated landing areas, including one located on the River Seine.
The Volocity model, equipped with a large rotor ring on its roof, can accommodate one passenger in addition to the pilot.
The air taxis will fly below 500 metres, making them inaudible from the ground in urban areas. Paris’s administrative court recently rejected two appeals against installing a temporary vertiport in central Paris, lodged by the city and several associations.
Ultimately, Volocopter aims to revolutionise urban mobility by addressing congestion and linking various modes of transport. In addition to Paris, the company plans to launch its services in other cities such as Rome and Osaka.
