eVTOL operational validation sets in Paris

Volocopter, the sustainable air mobility pioneer, successfully completed a crewed test flight at the Aerodrome of Saint-Cyr-l'École, initiating the eVTOL operational validation phase.

The eVTOL crewed test flight at the Aerodrome of Saint-Cyr-l'École.

For this flight test campaign, the company was granted a permit to fly with tremendous support from the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC), prior to receiving a Type Certification (TC) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The vertiport of the Aerodrome of Saint-Cyr-l'École was built by Groupe ADP, Volocopter’s longstanding Parisian partner. The validation testing in Saint-Cyr-l'École will provide first-hand data on improving Volocopter’s aircraft operations.

With this successful test flight, the partners begin their operational validation phase, a pre-commercial test series to mature the eVTOL ecosystem in France. This includes flight maneuvers to and from the vertiport, ground handling, communication with air traffic control, and battery charging and management at vertiports.

Volocopter and Groupe ADP has collaborated over three years to advance multiple regulatory approvals on infrastructure and aircraft, including Volocopter’s advisory role in the European eVTOL certification program, airspace operations, and infrastructure design influencing the development of the ready-to-operate St. Cyr vertiport.

Dirk Hoke, CEO of Volocopter, revealed that the company aspires to fly at the Austerlitz vertiport later this year. It will also concentrate on the Type Certification of the VoloCity and will start the test phase of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Germany together with its partner ADAC Luftrettung in 2025.

“For now, test flights are carried out without passengers, but once the aircraft is certified, we will test emergency medical flights with AP-HP (Ile-de-France University Hospital Centre),” added Edward Arkwright, Deputy CEO of Groupe ADP.