Volocopter has announced the opening of its production facilities in Bruschal. The company marked this milestone with the opening of a new hangar that will host the company’s final assembly line with an airfield to conduct development flight tests as well as quality checks.
The company states that all company-owned production sites, which will manufacture the first EASA-certified electric air taxis, will ramp up into full operation in April. From this facility, electric air taxis made in Germany will be deployed across the world, offering commercial services starting next year.
“Right here is where the aircraft that will change how humanity moves about cities will take off and make its way across the world. This region is known for transforming mobility – the bicycle, the car, and soon Volocopter, too. Electric air taxis and Volocopter in particular is a technology made in Germany that will make the world a more sustainable place.” said Dirk Hoke— CEO of Volocopter.
Volocopter’s facilities are said to have the capacity to assemble 50+ VoloCity aircraft each year. It will also have regulatory approval to do so.
“The VoloCity has completed the critical design review – and that’s the aircraft we’re ready to produce, with enough leeway for further learnings derived from flight testing. It’s no easy task to set up a production facility for an entirely new type of aircraft, but my team has done a phenomenal job.” said Andreas Fehring, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Volocopter and Program Manager VoloCity.
Since 2021, the company has had the approval as production organisation in compliance with EASA regulation. This certification covers the entire VoloCity production process. It includes the manufacturing of carbon fiber parts, all aspects of the electric propulsion unit, final assembly with decking of the propulsion system and fuselage, and extensive end-of-line flight tests, states the release.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on 4 April 2023 at the hangar. The event also featured a crewed flight of the Volocopter 2X.
“Germany is already a world leader in the development of air taxis, thanks in part to Volocopter’s great pioneering spirit. I would like to support and build on this leading role by creating a framework that enables innovation and progress. We are working with key industry players on a strategy for air taxi operations here in Germany, in which all technical and legal issues are addressed without delay. We are doing this so that the first drones carrying people and goods can take off very soon.” said Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister of Digital and Transport.
The new Volocopter air taxis aim to revolutionise urban transportation and the company have comitted to launching the commercial air taxis in cities like Singapore, Rome, NEOM, and Paris as early as 2024.
Source: Volocopter
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