Volocopter announced that it will be performing urban flight tests with its Volocopter 2X eVTOL in Singapore in the second half of 2019. The company says the tests are designed to validate the aircraft’s ability to operate in an urban environment and that it is looking to enable air taxi service in Singapore. Volocopter will be working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to establish safety requirements and scope for the test flights.
“We are getting ready to start implementing the first fixed routes in cities,” said Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter. “Singapore is a logical partner: The city is a true pioneer in technology and city development. We are confident this is another exciting step to make air taxi services a reality.” The two-seat Volocopter 2X is fully-electric with a 17-mile (27 km) range, 353-pound (160 kg) payload, and a maximum speed of 62 MPH (100 km/h). It is capable of piloted, remote-controlled and fully autonomous flight.
Germany-based Volocopter was granted provisional licensing for the 2X by the German aviation authorities in 2016 and says it is “cooperating with the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) to receive a full commercial license.” The company completed its first public unmanned test flight in Dubai in September 2017. The aircraft flew for the first time in the U.S. during a brief demonstration at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2018.
