Germany’s Volocopter last year hatched a plan with international airport operator Groupe ADP to ferry spectators around the 2024 Paris Olympic Games using its VoloCity air taxi, which would mark the aircraft’s commercial rollout. The firm even extended an invite to French President Emmanuel Macron, whose government approved the flights earlier this year, to be its first passenger.

But the company was unable to certify its two-seat design, built for a pilot plus one passenger, in time to fly people at the global event.

Another eVTOL manufacturer, China’s AutoFlight, also partnered with Groupe ADP last year to demonstrate its self-flying Prosperity air taxi at the Games but has yet to announce any test flights.

Still, it wasn’t a total wash for Volocopter. The firm managed to complete two test flights, one on Wednesday and another on Sunday.

The first took place at the Aerodrome of Saint-Cyr-l’École (LFPZ), one of five sites where the partners are constructing vertiports to support commercial operations. These vertical takeoff and landing hubs, similar to heliports, are built with electric charging stations to support eVTOL aircraft.

Big Plans for Paris

Groupe ADP is developing additional vertiports at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG), Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LFPB), and Paris Heliport, as well as a special floating landing pad on the River Seine that Volocopter can use until the end of the year. These five locations will be linked by five eVTOL air taxi routes: three public transit routes and two round-trip tourism routes.

According to Volocopter, the vertiport at Saint-Cyr-l’École is the first bespoke commercial location within its approved Paris route network. Wednesday’s crewed test flight was conducted under a permit to fly awarded by France’s Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC), kicking off an operational validation test campaign.

The company will need to demonstrate flight maneuvers around the vertiport, ground handling, communication with air traffic control, battery charging, and more. The campaign is the culmination of years of testing at Pontoise airfield, the site of Paris’ first inaugurated vertiport.

“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),” said Edward Arkwright, deputy CEO of Groupe ADP. “Innovation in the field of aeronautics needs time to remove obstacles regarding safety, but we remain convinced that new carbon-free air mobilities around eVTOLs will offer helpful services that go way beyond the transportation of passengers.”

Volocopter followed that test flight with a second at the World Heritage Palace of Versailles on Sunday, soaring over the palace’s lush gardens during a demonstration attended by Groupe ADP and DGAC officials.

The venue hosted several 2024 Olympic events and was the site of the first hot-air balloon flight by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783. Authorization for the flight was awarded on the final day of the Games by the Château de Versailles, City of Versailles, Yvelines Prefecture, and DGAC.

“The sustainable air mobility community is still at the start line, but today’s flight in this exceptional environment was the perfect closing ceremony to our summer, as we look forward to returning to Paris very soon,” said Dirk Hoke, CEO of Volocopter.

The company said it hopes to fly in central Paris later this year, with aspirations to launch passenger operations from its river barge vertiport on the Seine. A Groupe ADP official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) the partners hope to fly passengers over the river by the time Notre Dame Cathedral, which burned down more than five years ago, is reopened in December.

Volocopter next year also expects to begin trials of an emergency medical service in Germany with partner ADAC Luftrettung, which last year agreed to purchase two custom-built VoloCity aircraft and could buy as many as 150.

Why Didn’t They Fly?

Beyond test flights, the firm’s primary goal is to obtain type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the elusive approval that would have allowed it to fly passengers at the Olympics. So far, only one eVTOL manufacturer—China’s EHang—has received type certification from its country’s aviation regulator, though many others have begun the process.

Arkwright told AFP that Volocopter’s VoloCity suffered “a delay of a few weeks” in certification due to issues affecting the aircraft’s motor. The air taxi features 18 motors and rotors powered by electricity from nine lithium-ion battery packs, giving it a range of about 19 nm at a cruise speed approaching 60 knots.

Hoke said the issue traces back to “an American supplier who was not capable of providing what he had promised.”

Passenger flights at the Olympics also faced political barriers from local French officials, many of whom characterized the project as environmentally harmful and air taxis as a service for the wealthy. In response, Volocopter and Groupe ADP have altered their tone by touting other use cases, such as emergency response.

Paris’ city hall even took legal action against the proposal, but according to AFP, French administrative officials ruled against it “pending a decision on the merits of the case, expected in the autumn.”

Though Volocopter failed to meet its goal, the company will have another chance to showcase its aircraft on the world stage at the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. By then, the FAA expects to have laid the groundwork for commercial air taxi routes to be flown routinely.

Manufacturer Archer Aviation earlier this month expressed its desire to be flying in the city by the time the Games begin, while competitors Joby Aviation and Wisk Aero, the eVTOL subsidiary of Boeing, plan to operate there as well. Wisk further intends to demonstrate its self-flying design at the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane.

The companies’ objective is to boost public acceptance of the novel aircraft, which they claim will be far quieter and more sustainable than helicopters. Some have already managed to convince major U.S. airlines, including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines, to make investments or commitments to the technology.

Among American manufacturers, Archer and Joby are the closest to receiving type certification. Both companies hope to begin flying passengers next year.

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The German firm on Wednesday announced it will work with Groupe ADP, which manages 23 airports around the world, including Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG) and Le Bourget Airport (LFPB), to prepare eVTOL infrastructure in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Separately, at the Farnborough International Airshow in the U.K., Lilium on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SEA Milan, which operates the Italian city’s airports, and vertiport developer Skyports Infrastructure to build a Lilium Jet network in Italy’s Lombardy region.

These regions are envisioned as early launch markets for the Lilium Jet, a zero-emission, six-passenger design capable of cruising at 162 knots on city-to-city trips spanning 25-125 sm (22-109 nm).

Groupe ADP, working with fellow German eVTOL manufacturer Volocopter, is developing an air taxi network connecting five vertiports across the Paris region, including at Charles de Gaulle and Le Bourget.

The original plan was for air taxi public transport and tourism routes to be ready for the 2024 Olympic Games, which open Friday in Paris, though that appears to be out the window. The French government signed off on heavily restricted, nonpassenger carrying flights, but Paris’ city council said it will fight the authorization in court.

Although it looks like the Paris Olympics won’t quite be the eVTOL launchpad for which Groupe ADP had hoped, it could make history by bringing the Lilium Jet to the region. With a projected commercial launch in 2026, the jet—which takes off like a helicopter but cruises on fixed wings—will likely be the first of its kind to hit the market.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that some of the very first eVTOL flights will happen in France, and this partnership brings that milestone closer into view,” said Sebastian Borel, chief commercial officer of Lilium. “Groupe ADP has an impressive portfolio of airports, both in France and around the world, in markets that will be key to Lilium’s commercial operations.”

Earlier this year, Lilium said it was in “advanced talks” with the French government to install manufacturing facilities in the country. It is also collaborating with Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur and vertiport developer UrbanV to create a network in the French Riviera.

Groupe ADP will now work to accommodate the six-passenger design, which is significantly larger than Volocopter’s air taxi, at vertiports throughout Paris.

“We are thrilled to officialize the work we have been conducting with Lilium to ensure the development of new services by eVTOL in the Paris region and worldwide,” said Edward Arkwright, deputy CEO of Groupe ADP.

The partnership will also extend to Turkey, India, and Saudi Arabia, where Lilium is planning another network with flag carrier Saudia. The airline this month agreed to purchase 100 Lilium Jets. On Monday at Farnborough, the manufacturer said it signed an MOU with Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to prepare eVTOL regulations in the country.

Italy is set to be another important market for Lilium as the company partners with SEA Milan and Skyports to serve the Lombardy region, home to an estimated one-fifth of the country’s population. The manufacturer, airport operator, and infrastructure specialist hope to bring a network online by 2027.

“We’ve been working with our partners at SEA for some time, and we’re excited to prepare to open the doors of our vertiports and see eVTOL aircraft take flight over Lombardy,” said Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports.

SEA will manage airport hubs and will operate vertiports jointly with Skyports, which will lead the development and construction of the sites. An initial route will connect Milan Malpensa Airport (LIMC) with the Milan city center.

In 2022, Lilium secured an order for 12 jets from operator Globe Air, which plans to fly them in the French Riviera and Italy—it’s unclear whether these aircraft will be part of the planned network.

The German manufacturer also has plans for the U.S. With newly established operating partner UrbanLink Air Mobility, it intends to fly in Florida, California, and the Caribbean U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

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Instead, that distinction is held by AutoFlight, which has sneakily climbed to the No. 8 spot in SMG’s rankings in recent months. In February, it eclipsed Joby’s 2021 high-water mark with a 155-mile jaunt near its headquarters in China. Now, Autoflight, which only began focusing on passenger eVTOL in 2021, is ready to put more eyes on its aircraft.

At the Paris Air Show on Thursday, AutoFlight announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Groupe ADP, a Paris-based international airport operator, to conduct experimental flights of its Prosperity I eVTOL at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.

One of several eVTOL manufacturers set to demonstrate air taxi technology at the global event, AutoFlight will fly its long-range aircraft out of Pontoise vertiport, a dedicated test bed for AAM technologies. 

Developed by Skyports and Groupe ADP with the backing of several aviation bodies and regional authorities, the airfield has been outfitted with AAM infrastructure such as takeoff and landing zones, a passenger terminal, and a fully equipped maintenance hangar.

“Pontoise vertiport, equipped with exceptional infrastructure and facilities, serves as an optimal platform to support electric, innovative aircraft,” said Edward Arkwright, Groupe ADP’s deputy CEO. “This collaboration resonates with our commitment to delivering sustainable and efficient aircraft infrastructure as we continue to pave the way for the future of aviation.”

AutoFlight and Groupe ADP did not provide many details of the planned experimental flights. But the partners did note they will be piloted and contribute to the development of infrastructure for five additional Paris Region vertiports, scheduled to be completed by 2024.

“We aim to showcase the immense potential of [AAM,]” said Mark Henning, managing director for AutoFlight Europe and former program manager for Airbus. “Our 250 km-range eVTOLs will operate in real-world conditions, highlighting their capabilities in urban environments and their invaluable contribution to sustainable logistics and mobility.”

AutoFlight’s Prosperity I is an all-electric, lift-plus-cruise aircraft built to fit four passengers and a pilot. Powered by 10 lift propellers and three push propellers with a battery capacity of 160 kWh, it can carry payloads of 770 pounds as far as 155 miles (about 134 nm) at 124 mph (around 107 knots), all on a single charge. That makes it one of the rangiest known eVTOL designs. But Prosperity I is also fairly quiet, producing 65 dBA—roughly the volume of a normal conversation—while hovering.

Until this week, not much was known about the interior of the aircraft. But at the Paris Air Show, AutoFlight showcased its sleek, eco-friendly design for thousands of attendees. Prosperity I’s interior was crafted by Frank Stephenson, the architect behind vehicles from marquee automakers such as Ferrari, Maserati, McLaren, Ford, BMW, and Mini.

In 2011, Motor Trend magazine dubbed the Moroccan-American “one of the most influential car designers working in the industry.”

“Designing the interior of the Prosperity I has been a phenomenal journey,” Stephenson said. “Our aim was to create an environment that evokes a sense of safety, comfort, and innovation…The welcoming interior has been achieved through the innovative application of natural organic shapes, new soft touch materials, and a clever system of interior mood lighting.”

Based on Stepheson’s description and images of Prosperity I’s interior shared with FLYING, the aircraft looks and sounds like a luxury sedan for the skies. Interestingly, though, it’ll be relatively cheap for a new aircraft—Prosperity I is expected to cost around $150,000.

But according to AutoFlight founder and CEO Tian Yu, the company already has 670 orders for the eVTOL, all in Asia. That includes an agreement with Singapore’s EvFly for the purchase of 205 passenger and cargo aircraft, which will be operated in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

However, the Chinese manufacturer will first need to tackle certification. The Prosperity I model on display in Paris is expected to be AutoFlight’s final proof-of-concept design before it turns to a type-conforming prototype for the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), Yu said this week.

The firm will first attempt to certify an uncrewed cargo version of Prosperity I, the Carryall, for which the CAAC has already provided a basis for certification. The Carryall is nearly identical to its crewed counterpart aside from its increased payload capacity (around 1,100 pounds) and will achieve CAAC certification by 2024, according to Henning.

Prosperity I CAAC certification is expected two to three years later, followed by European Union Aviation and Safety Agency approval at a greater safety level (one accident per one billion flight hours) one to two years after that. FAA certification would come next.

That’s a lengthy flight path. But AutoFlight in 2022 said it had completed more than 10,000 takeoffs and landings with Prosperity I prototypes, including in adverse weather conditions. That success has apparently bred confidence as Yu said the firm is constructing a new factory that will eventually be able to produce 1,000 aircraft per year.

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American electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturers Joby and Archer Aviation have long planned commercial launches by 2025. But at the Paris Air Show on Tuesday, German rival Volocopter reinforced its agreement with Groupe ADP, an international airport operator based in Paris, and the French Civil Aviation Authority and Paris Region (DGAC) to establish an air taxi network in Paris by next summer.

Volocopter and its new partners are hoping to turn the “City of Lights” into the City of eVTOL Flights in time for the 2024 Olympic Games, a timeline that would likely make Paris the first city in the world to fly routine, dedicated urban air taxi routes.

The plan is to begin with three public transit routes—linking airports, heliports, and vertiports—as well as two round-trip tourism routes. Trips will be flown by Volocopter’s VoloCity eVTOL, which has capacity for a pilot and one passenger. It will fly below 1,640 feet (500 meters) but will not be audible from the ground within the Paris soundscape.

“We are counting down the days to making electric air taxis a reality,” said Dirk Hoke, CEO of Volocopter. “Together with our French partners, we will take command in decarbonizing aviation, slowly but surely.”

All of Volocopter’s early operations in Paris will be based out of five vertiports, the construction of which will begin no later than September. Those five facilities, including a special vertiport on the Austerlitz barge on the Seine River, will produce five urban air mobility (UAM) routes to support a mix of public transportation and tourism:

• Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG) to Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LFPB)
• Vertiport of Austerlitz barge (under construction) to Paris Heliport (JDP)
• Paris Heliport to Airfield of Saint-Cyr-l’École (LFPZ)
• Paris Heliport round-trip flights
• Paris-Le Bourget round-trip flights

In addition to the Austerlitz barge vertiport, which is being supported by Paris Region authorities, Volocopter will construct air taxi infrastructure at the two major Paris airports, the Paris Heliport, and the airfield in Saint-Cyr-l’École. Each vertiport will feature passenger terminals with one to three takeoff and landing spots. Over the next decade, the company said it will look to add vertiport coverage for the entire Paris Region.

But Volocopter will still need to certify VoloCity with the European Union Aviation and Safety Agency (EASA)—a process it says will be complete by early 2024—before launching commercial operations. For the past 18 months, Volocopter has completed dozens of flights at its testing ground in Pontoise, France, in front of thousands of spectators.

Aiding the company further is the recent completion of its Bruchsal, Germany, production facility, which it says has received regulatory approval to build 50 VoloCity aircraft per year.

“All the indicators are green for a successful summer 2024,” said Edward Arkwright, deputy CEO of Groupe ADP. “The challenges ahead are huge, but they are a great source of pride for all those involved in the project, with whom we share the conviction that carbon-free air travel also brings new services.”

Following a successful demonstration at the Paris Air Show, Volocopter also announced that charitable air rescue service ADAC Luftrettung agreed to buy two custom-built VoloCity aircraft, with the intention of procuring 150 more as part of an ongoing collaboration. The aircraft will begin flying research operations in 2024, with an eye toward future zero-emissions EMS and rescue missions.

“With higher ranges and operational speeds as well as significantly more payload of the next generation of eVTOLs, we can also put the benefits for emergency care into practice—and fulfill our statutory mission to further develop the rescue service from the air with pioneering innovations,” said Frédéric Bruder, CEO of ADAC Luftrettung.

In addition to services in France and Germany, Volocopter is looking to fly air taxi routes in Singapore and Rome by 2024, as well as in the planned city of Neom, Saudi Arabia, as soon as construction allows. The firm is also developing a longer-range eVTOL, VoloRegion, which aims to connect cities and suburbs with UAM routes. That model first flew in June 2022.

Interestingly, Volocopter has not announced any plans to launch commercial services in the U.S. That’s where Archer (Chicago and New Jersey), Joby (Los Angeles and New York), and Eve Air Mobility (San Francisco) are planning their hubs. But if Volocopter remains on schedule, none of them will stake a claim to the first commercial eVTOL service.

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