Volocopter Unveils New eVTOL
With the annual European Business Aviation Convention and Exposition (EBACE) being held remotely, German eVTOL developer Volocopter seized the opportunity to announce its brand-new VoloConnect eVTOL rotorcraft project. It is projected to enter service by 2026 and serve as a complementary addition to the company’s smaller two-seater VoloCity.
The four-seater VoloConnect will operate solely on electric power, and the company aims for a cruising speed of 110 mph, which is set to increase to around 155 mph at its peak. Additionally, it envisions a 60-mile operational range, in contrast to the projected 22 miles for the VoloCity.
Volocopter claims that the VoloConnect “extends the company’s UAM ecosystem coverage to the suburbs.” Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter estimates that it could generate a whopping $60 billion in revenue, while the VoloCity is expected to yield $110 billion in revenues from air taxi services by 2035.
The VoloConnect is designed with a wing connected to its V-tail by a pair of parallel beams, each of which is equipped with three electric motors. The rotors mounted on the beams enable vertical flight, while the ducted fans mounted at the rear provide thrust for cruise flight. Volocopter has spent the past two years and more in developing the design and has filed a series of patents for its innovative technologies.
The company is also working on the development of the VoloDrone, a pilotless cargo-carrying eVTOL with a similar range and payload. Reuter said the company intends to produce up to 100,000 aircraft, and with these three designs, “We can now cover all segments of the $290 billion urban air mobility market.” He mentioned that the two-seater VoloCity is expected to commence commercial operations by the end of 2023. Singapore and Paris remain the targeted markets for the initial urban-mobility services, he stated.
