Volocopter completes its first piloted flight in France

The Volocopter 2X is the first eVTOL aircraft to fly in France with a pilot, and confirms its launch during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The world of eVTOLs is taking off, literally. These small devices similar to electric helicopters, sometimes autonomous, are proliferating through various projects worldwide. But one of the most serious is called Volocopter. This German company, founded in 2011, is funded by automakers Mercedes-Benz, Geely, and the investment fund BlackRock.

Another French first

For several years, the company has been testing its full-scale prototype, the Volocopter 2X. But it had never conducted real-world tests on French soil. On Monday, March 21, the eVTOL became the first of its kind to take to the skies in France, at Pontoise aerodrome.

This is even a double first, as the electric helicopter conducted flights with a pilot onboard. In June 2021, the same aircraft only performed takeoffs at Le Bourget while remotely piloted. That flight lasted 3 minutes over a distance of 500 meters, at a speed of just 30 km/h and at 30 meters altitude. The scope was limited, as it was conducted under the authority of the DGAC (General Directorate of Civil Aviation).

Here in Pontoise, the purpose of this flight was “to measure the noise emissions of the flying device” specifies Volocopter.

Start of Volocopter service at the Paris 2024 Olympics?

“We demonstrated our pioneering potential once again in Paris,” says commercial director Christian Bauer, “by flying our aircraft at this Parisian airport, we prove to one of our launch cities that our device will offer a practical complement for potential airport-to-city routes.”

Indeed, Volocopter already envisions operational deployment within two years. This is not a random deadline, as the company’s partners include the Île-de-France region, the ADP group (Paris airports), and RATP. The union aims to bring this futuristic solution to the Paris Olympics, with a launch expected in July 2024.

Also read: Wisk Aero: the American autonomous eVTOL supported by Boeing