Electric air taxi developer Volocopter has successfully conducted its first flight trials in Saudi Arabia, the German company announced Wednesday during the Paris Airshow. According to Volocopter, that marked the first time that an eVTOL aircraft received special flight authorization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Volocopter collaborates with Neom, a government-backed development project in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk province, to introduce urban air mobility services to the region in 2024. As a so-called “smart city,” Neom runs entirely on renewable energy sources. When Volocopter and Neom announced their joint venture in 2021, Neom officials placed a provisional order for 15 Volocopter eVTOL aircraft, including 10 of the two-seat VoloCity model and five of Volocopter’s fully autonomous VoloDrone cargo-carrying model.
“The successful test flight of a Volocopter eVTOL is not just another milestone on the journey towards the creation of Neom’s innovative, sustainable, multimodal transportation system—it is a tangible example of Neom as a global accelerator and incubator of solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Neom CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr. “Driving the development of smart, sustainable, and safe mobility systems will improve livability and connectivity in cities around the world and reduce carbon emissions, creating a cleaner future for all.”
Volocopter also has been conducting flight demonstrations at the Paris Airshow this week with its two-seat VoloCity eVTOL aircraft. The company aims to secure EASA type certification for the aircraft and begin operations by 2024, just in time for the Olympic Games in Paris.