In a ground-breaking venture of clean transportation, German air taxi manufacturer, Volocoper, has successfully carried out an array of flight trials in Saudi Arabia’s anticipated city of the future, Neom. This progress is a leap forward in Saudi Arabia’s vision for sustainable and technologically advanced transport solutions.
The milestone sees the premier flight tests in Saudi Arabia of an eVTOL – electric vertical take-off and landing – aircraft, as acknowledged in a statement by Neom on Wednesday.
“The accomplished and secure trial flight marks a significant juncture for the aviation sphere in Saudi Arabia,” commented Abdulaziz Al Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.
This advancement follows on the heels of Neom’s 2022 disclosure of a $175 million Series E investment in Volocopter, the German air mobility firm. A collaborative venture between the two entities aims to roll out electric air taxi services throughout the city, offering connections to diverse locales such as The Line, Oxagon and Trojena.
According to Neom, Volocopter’s eVTOLs will form a pivotal component of Neom’s innovative and sustainable multi-modal transport system, anticipated to run solely on renewable energy.
Neom affirmed in 2021 that it had commissioned an order for 15 Volocopter aircraft, with plans to initiate flight operations within the ensuing two to three years. The order includes 10 VoloCity passenger and five VoloDrone logistics aircraft, a move aimed at supporting the early stages of flight operations.
An analysis from global consultancy Deloitte, suggested that 2021 marked a significant year for the Advanced Air Mobility market, with eVTOL aircraft firms witnessing investments totalling $5.8 billion.
Lasting over a week, the Volocopter flight test campaign is the outcome of 18 months of cooperation between Neom, Gaca and the German firm. The collective endeavour aims to establish and expand an electric urban air mobility system and test bed within Neom.
The flight trials prioritised the Volocopter’s aircraft performance under local climatic and environmental conditions, as well as its assimilation into the local traffic management system.
With expectations to receive type certification of its VoloCity air taxi by 2024, Volocopter is gearing up for future commercial operations. The company recently initiated serial production of the VoloCity at its facility in Bruchsal, Germany, capable of producing over 50 aircraft a year under single-shift conditions.
The 18-rotor aircraft, boasting a top airspeed of 110 kilometres per hour, comfortably accommodates a pilot and a passenger.
Image Credit: Spielvogel on Wikipedia
