German startup Volocopter is partnering with Jetex, an aircraft ground handling company, to deploy and operate permanent vertiport infrastructure for passenger services, with the aim to launch operations in 2024.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU), announced this week at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland, will see the two companies explore potential urban air mobility (UAM) routes in Miami, Singapore and Paris.
The regions are key priority areas for Jetex, which already has a presence in those markets, the company said.
Since 2011, Volocopter has been working to bring commercial air taxi services to major cities around the world, recently conducting crewed flights using its 2X eVTOL prototype in Paris, Wisconsin and Singapore. The company unveiled its first full-scale vertiport in Marina Bay in 2019 in collaboration with Skyports.
“Signing this MOU with Jetex is an important first step toward a strategic collaboration to deploy sustainable and integrated UAM operations, as well as passenger services,” said Christian Bauer, chief commercial officer of Volocopter, in a press release.
Volocopter is developing a two-seat VoloCity multicopter, which the company plans to have type certified with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in time to fly at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
The company previously told eVTOL.com that it plans to receive concurrent type certification validation from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which will allow it to enter the U.S. market.
Besides Miami, the German company previously showed an interest in exploring UAM in Los Angeles, after teaming with Urban Movement Labs in September.
Interesting article. Why don’t you mention where in Wisconsin the Vertiport will be? It will be in Oshkosh at the Wittman Regional Airport. Oshkosh is synonymous with aviation because of EAA AirVenture. Volocopter and Black Fly both did flights in front of the public at AirVenture in 2021.