DG Flugzeugbau, a sailplane manufacturer in Germany, said recently it got an order to “manufacture a large number of Volocopters from Volocopter GmbH,” but nobody is saying exactly how many a “large number” is. A Volocopter spokesperson told AVweb, “Unfortunately, I am not able to provide you with more details than this,” and Flugzeubau did not respond to AVweb‘s inquiry. DG Flugzeubau did say at its website that it will be manufacturing the 2X version of the Volcopter, and noted it will be the first aircraft of its kind to enter serial production. “Thanks to huge investors like the Daimler AG, many engineers and technicians work hard to implement this new technology,” says the post at Flugzeubau’s website. “Getting this project into the stage of a serial production is the next big step which keeps Volocopter and DG in the market lead.”
The Volocopter 2X, an electric-powered, multi-rotor VTOL, can fly autonomously or “be easily operated using a joystick,” according to the company website. It aims to be safe, quiet and reliable. It’s also the world’s first multicopter that has been certified for manned flight. Volocopter flew an unmanned 2X in Dubai last September, which the company said was the “first-ever public flight of an autonomous urban air taxi.” The company is working to verity the feasibility and safety of airborne taxis as a means of public transportation.
