Volocopter air cab first took off with a passenger on board - the first passenger transportation is planned for the Olympics in 2024

Volocopter's electric air cab finally made its first flight with a passenger on board.

Here's What We Know

The German company brought its VoloCity air cab to Paris. The test took place at the Pontoise-Cormey airfield near the French capital. The aircraft with a passenger on board took off and landed successfully after a short flight.

Test pilot Paul Stone said the digital system and the presence of multiple rotors make control very easy. In a helicopter, he said, when you move one control, three actions happen at once. In the VoloCity air cab, the developers have eliminated all these complications by making the controls much simpler.

Volocotper is preparing its air cab VoloCity for the next summer Olympic Games, which will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11, 2024. Certification of the vehicle will take place in a year and a half. The announcement was made by Dirk Hoke, the company's CEO.

Valérie Pecresse, president of the Ile-de-France region around Paris, said the region has financially supported the initiative because it wants the first commercial flight to take place here. Two passenger lines are now planned: Paris-Versailles and Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Le Bourget airports.

The VoloCity is equipped with electric motors and batteries. The air cab uses 18 electric motors for vertical takeoff/landing and horizontal flight. The vehicle is designed for two passengers and will be able to travel short distances.

The maximum speed of the VoloCity will be 110 km/h. The air cab of the German company will be able to remain in the air for about half an hour. The manufacturer claims it will be enough to provide passenger transportation within a radius of up to 35 km.

Source: Reuters