First marketplace for Volocopter flying taxi may be Singapore
After a current sequence of profitable exams of its 2X prototype, Germany’s Volocopter is now in talks with officers in main cities to get public trials of its deliberate flying taxi service off the bottom (pun supposed).
And one of many main cities is Singapore, Volocopter co-founder Alexander Zosel instructed Reuters in an interview revealed on Monday.
Volocopter VoloCity
He stated the corporate is two potential routes: one between Singapore’s worldwide airport and central enterprise district, and one other between the vacationer sizzling spots of Marina Bay and Sentosa Island. He additionally revealed that the value for a flight can be much like what you’d must pay for a journey in a limousine.
Past Singapore, Volocopter can be Dubai and websites in Germany. Websites in China are additionally a chance given Chinese language automaker Geely’s stake within the firm. Geely owns 10 p.c of Volocopter, which is the same as the stakes owned by Daimler and Intel. Curiously, Geely additionally owns American flying automotive startup Terrafugia.
Volocopter prototype demonstration at Daimler’s headquarters
Volocopter is not planning for its autos to drive on public roads like Terrafugia, no less than not but. As a substitute, Volocopter’s imaginative and prescient is to supply brief journeys between key hubs in among the world’s busiest cities, reducing journeys which will take an hour or extra with a automotive all the way down to just some minutes. A system to swap a totally charged battery at every of the hubs may also assist to hurry up turnaround instances.
Volocopter’s 2X prototype is a multicopter with 18 rotors powered by electrical motors. Able to vertical take-off and touchdown, the 2X is designed to suit two adults however has very restricted area for storage. It additionally has a brief vary. We’re speaking a variety of 17 miles and a high velocity of 62 mph. Volocopter has additionally proven a extra superior design able to 22 miles of vary and a high velocity of 68 mph.
Volocopter prototype demonstration at Daimler’s headquarters
The 2X is ready to fly itself on pre-determined routes however any absolutely autonomous industrial service continues to be 5-10 years away, Zosel instructed Reuters in his interview. He additionally revealed that the corporate has performed over 1,000 flights, together with each with human pilots and in autonomous mode.
The information comes simply days after Hyundai introduced a brand new air mobility division led by a NASA veteran of 30 years. Different automakers within the flying taxi race embrace Audi and Toyota.