Flying taxis for the Olympics… but without passengers!

There is no doubt that eVTOLs are the future of urban air transport. So why all the hesitation?

Volocopter and its partner Aéroports de Paris received the long-awaited green light this week from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Île-de-France Region for their eVTOL. They confirmed that all conditions are met for the launch of the first eVTOL services (electric aircraft with vertical take-off and landing) during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, no commercial service will be provided.

The airports of Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle and Le Bourget, the Issy-les-Moulineaux heliport, and the Saint-Cyr-l’École aerodrome have been equipped to serve as maintenance and refueling bases for these eVTOLs. A floating barge has been installed by the Austerlitz quay, in the 13^th arrondissement, to receive them in the capital.

Why so much hate for eVTOL?

This is the lukewarm culmination of two years of hesitation regarding the opportunity to showcase this remarkable technological advancement, benefiting from the exceptional media exposure offered by the Olympics. The risk of accident is not, and will never be, zero. Flying is not without risks, but we are talking about machines that have undergone years of development and testing. So an accident while all eyes are on you would of course be a blemish, but strangely, this is not the argument put forward by opponents to these future taxis.

We can list various concerns, such as the noise generated by the 16 rotors, which is significantly less than that of the quietest helicopters. There is also the visual pollution that could arise if the service becomes widespread, but in our opinion, these fragile machines are rather pleasant to the eye. Additionally, there is the financial argument suggesting these vehicles would be reserved for a wealthy elite. Of course, like any innovative vehicle, they are very expensive to build and operate today, but the widespread adoption of the technology could make them accessible to everyone, which will never happen if we don’t let them fly!

Finally, and perhaps most sadly, some elected officials in the Paris City Hall seriously claim that the capital does not need flying taxis when it offers wonderful trams and hybrid buses. The ox cart is also a low-cost ecological alternative.

Enough irony, as this would only validate the views of the nostalgia-driven. The eVTOLs will not disrupt the celebration of the Olympic Games and will even be an attraction. It is a shame that they have not been allowed to be true participants.

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