Volocopter and Singapore Commit to Air Taxis
Launch of services are three years away, and will be a first for urban air mobility in Asia
Volocopter, an urban air mobility company based in Germany, has announced plans to launch air taxi services in Singapore within three years. The first route is expected to be a touristic route over the southern waters, offering views of the Marina Bay skyline.
Future connections may include cross-border flights, which should enhance regional connectivity to Singapore’s closest economic partners.
Volocopter says its air taxis are emission-free aircraft that take-off and land vertically. They are designed as an addition to urban mobility and will fly up to two passengers directly to their destination.
After two years of close collaboration with the Economic Development Board of Singapore (EDB) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Volocopter is poised to bring air taxis to the city-state, making it the first Asian location for the service.
“Singapore is renowned for its leading role in adapting and living new technologies. Our successful cooperation with EDB, MOT, and CAAS on our previous flight has shown that there is no better place in Asia to launch our electric air taxi services than in Singapore,” said Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter.
Before launching the services in Singapore, Volocopter will be required to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals, including those from CAAS and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. This means the company will be conducting extensive tests, flight trials, evaluations and certification before approval can be granted.
“Urban air mobility is an emerging area within the broader mobility sector, which we have identified as a growth industry for Singapore,” said Mr. Tan Kong Hwee, executive vice president, EDB. “Singapore is an important regional testbed for autonomous cars, electric vehicles, and urban air mobility, including the successful test flight by Volocopter in 2019.
