Saudi Arabia’s NEOM and Germany’s Volocopter announced a historic milestone for urban air mobility initiatives in the kingdom. They recently completed the first series of e-air taxi flights in Saudi.
Additionally, the e-air taxi used in the test flights was the first ever electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft to receive a special flight authorization and to perform such tests in Saudi Arabia.
Urban air mobility initiative soars high
The week-long test flight and urban air mobility campaign was the culmination of 18 months of collaboration between NEOM, the smart and sustainable city in northwest Saudi Arabia; Volocopter, a pioneer in urban air mobility (UAM); and the Saudi’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).
The initiative also sought to establish and scale an electric urban air mobility ecosystem and testbed in NEOM. All parties worked closely to ensure full regulatory compliance and safety throughout the test campaign.
In addition, the success of the test flight gave further boost to Saudi’s Green Initiative, which aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions for the Saudi Arabia by 2060.
Read: The four futuristic megacities of Saudi’s NEOM
“The successful test flight of a Volocopter eVTOL is not just another milestone towards the creation of our innovative, sustainable, multimodal transportation system. It is a tangible example of NEOM as a global accelerator and incubator of solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges,” said CEO Nadhmi Al Nasr.
According to Al Nasr, “Driving the development of smart, sustainable, and safe mobility systems will improve livability and connectivity in cities around the world and reduce carbon emissions, creating a cleaner future for all.”
Meanwhile, Abdulaziz A. Al-Duailej, president of GACA, lauded the test flight as an important milestone for Saudi’s aviation sector.
He also reaffirmed GACA’s commitment to fostering innovation to create new industries and generate employment opportunities. “The integration of innovative air transport patterns will improve urban air mobility and enhance quality of life in Saudi Arabia,” he added.
NEOM and Volocopter’s vision
NEOM and Volocopter share a vision of creating a better future through clean technology. Both seek to scale advanced urban air mobility solutions, using NEOM as a living lab for transportation.
Volocopter’s chief commercial officer, Christian Bauer, expressed excitement about the successful test flight and its potential for future collaboration.
Commenting on the technical aspect of the test flight, Bauer said, “The test campaign focused on the flight performance of the aircraft in local climate and environmental conditions, as well as testing its integration into the local unmanned aircraft system traffic management (UTM) system.”
Sustainable urban air mobility
Through their collaboration, NEOM and Volocopter are revolutionizing transportation and improving the quality of life for residents. Volocopter’s eVTOL aircraft will be key to NEOM’s smart and sustainable multimodal mobility system, which will be powered by 100% renewable energy.
Furthermore, the successful e-air taxi test flight underscores NEOM’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, as part of its ambitions to create a connected and environmentally conscious future.
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