NEOM collaborates with Volocopter and Saudi Aviation authorities
Representatives from NEOM , the colossal Saudi Arabian smart city development project — and urban air mobility company Volocopter have announced the successful completion of a test flight by an eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) air taxi service.
The week-long test flight program was the first of its kind to receive the go-ahead from Saudi officials and was conducted in collaboration with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).
NEOM and Volocopter aim to implement and scale a complete electric UAM ecosystem in the upcoming smart city development as part of their shared vision for a clean, sustainable future.
Improving connectivity
“Driving the development of smart, sustainable, and safe mobility systems will improve livability and connectivity in cities worldwide and reduce carbon emissions, creating a cleaner future for all,” enthused Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO, NEOM.
“As the first eVTOL aircraft to ever test in Saudi Arabia, we are proud to have laid the groundwork for our future collaboration here in NEOM,” commented Christian Bauer, Chief Commercial Officer, Volocopter.
Volocopter’s eVTOLs will be powered by 100% renewable energy from solar and wind sources. The electric craft will also be multi-use, with plans to deploy them as taxis, emergency response vehicles, and more.
The air taxi test flight announcement comes after NEOM’s US$ 192mn investment into Volocopter, which recently confirmed that its production plant in Bruchsal, Germany, now had the capacity to build over 50 helicopters per year.
