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Urban Air Mobility (UAM) developer Volocopter announced its latest milestone today, sharing it has received a Production Organization Approval (POA) extension from the German government, enabling it to expand its production facilities and commence serial production of its VoloCity eVTOL air taxis.
Volocopter is a German aviation company specializing in electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturing, airports, and aerial systems development. The company has quickly become one of the biggest names in the booming UAM industry as it expands eVTOL aircraft trials globally.
Those expansions sit on the wings (or propellers) of its flagship aircraft, the VoloCity eVTOL, which we’ve already seen take flight overseas. Outside of Germany, Volocopter has found several suitors ahead of full-scale VoloCity production, including companies in Japan and the futuristic city of NEOM in Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, the UAM developer was tapped to provide all-electric air-taxi services during this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, despite much opposition from certain government officials. While eVTOL rides around the Eiffel Tower may not happen, serial production and market implementation of Volocopter’s aircraft now appear imminent.
Volocopter set to begin in-house serial eVTOL production
Earlier this week, Volocopter shared it has received a POA extension from the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA), building upon initial certification awarded in 2021 and Design Organization Approval (DOA) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) achieved in 2019. Is that enough initialisms for you?
Volocopter states that the POA extension is an industry first and delivers approval from the German government to progress from prototyping to serial production. With full trust of the powers that be, Volocopter has entered pre-serial production of its VoloCity air taxis and will continue to design and develop the technology in-house autonomously. Volocopter CEO Andreas Fehring spoke about what the company’s latest certification means:
This is a major milestone for us. Aircraft design and production are strongly regulated for a good reason: to produce safe mobility products. I am pleased that Volocopter’s production facility has the trust of and stamp of approval from LBA to manufacture commercial aircraft that can be delivered to customers once the VoloCity receives type certification. Our team has proven that we can produce safe and high-quality test aircraft, and we now look forward to shortening our production lead time for scaling.
Volocopter’s aircraft are now officially certified to fly above congested urban areas under EASA’s Special Condition VTOL category, paving the way for commercial operations in Germany and beyond. The POA extension applies to Volocopter’s latest production and hangar facilities in Bruschsal, Germany, first unveiled in April 2023.
Volocopter continues to lead the path upward toward clean urban air mobility and is ever closer to providing genuine air taxi rides worldwide. Check out Volocopter’s latest video, showcasing its eVTOL manufacturing facilities in Germany.
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