Below is our recent interview with Lauren Montgomery Kanady, PR Manager at Volocopter:
Q: For those who have never heard of it, how would you describe Volocopter?
A: At Volocopter, we make the dream of electric flight in cities come true. With our Volocopter aircraft we offer affordable solutions to bring both goods and people to their destinations in cities—free of emissions and in a more sustainable, timely manner. Volocopter is the innovative pioneer of electric air taxis and drones for intra-city mobility services (i.e., urban air mobility or UAM). As a company, Volocopter is aiming to be the first electric air taxi developer to provide urban air mobility services within a UAM ecosystem. We are already leading the pack in the industry with our certification status from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (i.e., EASA) and our holistic partnership approach to create ecosystems in cities that bring urban mobility to the next level.
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Q: You have an interesting background. Can you tell us something more about your previous success?
A: Volocopter was founded in 2011 with the idea to make flying for people as easy as flying toy drones. Our founders flew with the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft multicopter. What started as a simple yoga ball eVTOL evolved into the pioneering eVTOL technology we have today, the VoloCity and the VoloDrone. As Volocopter progressed, we recognized and began to orchestrate the bigger picture of an entire UAM ecosystem within cities by developing infrastructure and connectivity for shared services, VoloPorts and VoloIQ.
Our milestone flight over Singapore’s Marina Bay was a pivotal moment in showing what urban air mobility will look like in cities. We were in the heart of an international capital, flying amongst skyscrapers, and had all physical and digital infrastructure in place to show that this kind of transport is possible within cities.
Since completing our Series C round, we have made significant progress like committing to launch services in Singapore and Paris, launching our U.S. campaign, as well as announcing the development of our UAM digital platform, VoloIQ, with Lufthansa Industry Solutions.
Q: Can you give us more insights into VoloCity?
A: The VoloCity is our unique, electric passenger air taxi designed for safe and sustainable flight within cities to reduce the stress on current transportation options with an additional, complementary dimension of mobility. It has space for two people with hand luggage and is designed for piloted flight in the beginning as well as autonomous flight in the future. The VoloCity can fly 110 km/h with a range of up to 35 km while carrying a payload of 200 kg. Furthermore, the VoloCity air taxi design adheres to the highest standards of safety as defined by EASA’s SC-VTOL. With 18 rotors, exchangeable battery packs, and a low noise signature, the VoloCity combines simplicity in design with advanced eVTOL technology to provide a sustainable mobility solution optimized for cities.
Q: You’ve recently raised €200 Million in Series D funding; can you tell us something more?
A: The proceeds from the Series D fundraising round will support the continued execution of our plan to bring urban air mobility to life while providing additional and sustainable mobility options for cities around the world.
We believe the mix of new and repeat investors that participated in this funding demonstrates the growing appreciation for the significant market opportunity for urban air mobility. The public is starting to grasp that electric flight is the future of mobility in cities and that Volocopter is leading the pack. Our fundraising round reflects that.
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Q: What is next on the roadmap for Volocopter?
A: The next phase of our business includes the certification of our electric air taxi, the VoloCity, and preparation for our commercial launch within the next 2-3 years. The question of air taxi services is no longer an “if” question, it is a “when” question. And that “when” is coming sooner than most expect. Meaning in the next few years, people will be able to book their tickets, board an air taxi, and enjoy a brand new perspective of electric urban mobility.
Last Updated on April 30, 2021