Aircraft

Volocopter shows off a prototype air taxi terminal in Singapore

Volocopter shows off a prototype air taxi terminal in Singapore
The first prototype VoloPort in Singapore
The first prototype VoloPort in Singapore
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The first prototype VoloPort in Singapore
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The first prototype VoloPort in Singapore
There are quite a few players in the electric VTOL game, but few seem to be as busy, at least publicly, as German startup Volocopter
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There are quite a few players in the electric VTOL game, but few seem to be as busy, at least publicly, as German startup Volocopter
A stationary Volocopter is the centerpiece of the prototype VoloPort
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A stationary Volocopter is the centerpiece of the prototype VoloPort
A stationary Volocopter is the centerpiece of the prototype VoloPort
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A stationary Volocopter is the centerpiece of the prototype VoloPort
As part of the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Singapore, Volocopter is showing off its first full-scale prototype VoloPort
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As part of the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Singapore, Volocopter is showing off its first full-scale prototype VoloPort
View gallery - 5 images

There are quite a few players in the electric VTOL game, but few seem to be as busy, at least publicly, as German startup Volocopter. The company has shown off a first full-scale prototype of what it calls a VoloPort, the terminal for the flying taxi service it envisions for city centers of the future.

Like others pursuing similar vehicle concepts, Volocopter aims to cut into congestion, pollution and urban travel times with an electric aircraft built to hop between destinations in busy city centers. The latest version of its 18-rotor aircraft can transport two people at a time, cover 35 km (21 mi) on each charge of its batteries and move at up to 100 km/h (68 mph).

Following a string of successful test flights, Volocopter expanded to Singapore in 2018, and then announced plans to build its first flying taxi station there earlier this year. As part of the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in the city, the company is now showing off its first full-scale prototype.

A stationary Volocopter is the centerpiece of the prototype VoloPort, which the company describes as modular and able to be built onto rooftops, parking lots and railway stations. Beyond that, there's not a whole lot of detail. Given this technology is still years away, this is more a conceptual mockup than a practical representation of how people will be getting into these things and flying over cities.

It is another interesting little look at the direction Volocopter is taking, however. It plans to conduct more test flights using its recently updated aircraft before the year is out, following on from outings at Helsinki airport and in Stuttgart, Germany.

Source: Volocopter

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5 comments
5 comments
anthony88
Er...it's a small square building with a roof for a passenger drone to land on. Does it do anything beyond allow passengers in and out?
guzmanchinky
Just as I've been celebrating the eventual demise of noisy cars due to electrification, now I need to worry about giant drones shuttling people and packages about.
Towerman
@guzmanchinky Awesome isn't it i can't wait to see these wonderful machines i action over my city ! VTOL's have really come a long way, and the good news is, not so long to go still, we are almost there, Volo is paving the way. With every good comes critisicm though, does the new version Volo is working on sort out the stability issue ? If so that would be great.

The Voloport looks wonderful, i can imagine perhaps each voloport doubles as space for an Operator for each volocraft.
christopher
If it needs a port, the company has already lost its way. How do you get to the port? Where do you park? How do you leave the other port? How far away is the place you want to go? Needing a base destroys the usefulness of VTOL city transport almost entirely.
Towerman
@christopher by far the opposite, ports is a brilliant concept, congratulations to Volo, it will be scattered across the city, and is a brilliant concept, walking a few blocks to where you need to be beats travelling 30km by overly congested vehicle traffic or by foot to your destination ;)