By akademiotoelektronik, 05/03/2023

VIDEO.The Volocopter Flying Taxi certified in Europe: the Urban Air Mobility ready to take off

Participants at the Paris Air Forum had seen him fly exclusively on Monday June 21 at Le Bourget Airport.Velocity, a VTOL (vehicle with takeoffs and vertical landings), entirely electric of the German manufacturer Volocopter had made a remarkable flight demonstration.In the audience, Patrick Ky, the executive director of the European Air Security Agency) had a riveted eye on this creature capable of transporting two people including a pilot, at a speed of 110 km/h andat an altitude of 400 to 500 meters.All with a range of 35 km.

World premiere

Requested in May by the manufacturer, the certification of the aircraft was in its last straight line.After this conclusive test, AESA authorized the device to make test flights in limited perimeters, a world first, before a commercial green light hoped for a few years on the coveted flying taxis market.According to a study by the consulting firm Oliver Wyman published in November 2019, the future flying taxi market could, in fact, represent more than $ 35 billion in 2035 and would concern 60 to 90 cities worldwide, and especially the congestioned mega -cities'Asia and America.

With the certificate obtained, the drone can "now be exploited in an area at a low risk clearly delimited", including near areas more at risk as a city or a sports stadium, explained AESA.

Discover the flight demonstration of the Volocopter Flying Taxi at Bourget Airport for the Paris Air Forum organized by La Tribune, Monday, June 21.

Move in the air to go from point A to point B will soon be possible.Provided that the regulations are evolving and that the discomfort potentially caused by these flying objects disappear.Nevertheless, in May, AESA had published the results of a first study on the level of the European Union on urban air mobility, which showed that the majority of those questioned welcome the prospect of services such as taxisAériens, air ambulances and drone deliveries, even if concerns had been expressed concerning potential problems such as safety, safety, noise and impact on fauna.

If we believe the actors of urban air mobility gathered this Monday during the Paris Air Forum organized by La Tribune and ADP, including the RATP, Thales, and the DGAC (General Directorate of Civil Aviation),Projects have never been so numerous.Other players trying on the future flying taxi market in Europe, AESA also expects to process "a large number of design verification requests in the coming months".

In the region, the tests carried out in June at Le Bourget airport anticipate an air mobility sector projected in the Paris region by several players, including the RATP, with the aim of being able to offer in 2030 a commercial offer, in the wake of planned demonstrationsOn the occasion of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024.

For Marc Houalla, the director of Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport, air mobility makes it possible to rethink mobility both "urban and peri-urban",.On the one hand, the objective is "to use the 3rd dimension to decongestize cities", recalled Yannick Assouad, Director General Assistant Aircraftic at Thales, recalling that on the global scale, the economic cost of congestiontraffic amounts to "more than 200 billion euros".On the other hand, this new mode of mobility will offer "the possibility of meeting needs that are not yet covered" as "joining the business centers more quickly", added Marie-Claude Dupuis, director ofRATP strategy and development.

Read also energy and smart mobility in debate in Marseille

If the expectations are large, the deployment of these flying cars will be progressive.At the beginning, airlines will be deployed between two points, before creating "air taxis on demand across the city," said Florian Reuter, Director General of Volocopter.

Extend control areas and digitize airspace

However, the realization of these projects, such as those of Volocopter or Re.Invent Mobility Project of the Ile-de-France Region, still collides with regulation.As a reminder, in Paris, there is a prohibition of overview below 6.500 feet.In addition, for helicopters, "there is a traffic authorization (...) according to traces that almost overlap the main axes (...) and which also limits commercial use in urban areas to the presence of two turbines, ”said Damien Caze, director general of the DGAC.

Read also 4 a large number of helicopters prohibited from flying over Paris

However, "if we really want to lead to the concept of flying taxis", these rules will have to "intrinsically change", warned Yannick Assouad.Indeed, "when we multiply by 100 or 1.000 the number of flying objects ", it will be necessary to develop the" control of this space, outside the airports, which today does not exist ", she concluded.

But how to develop the regulations?First, urban air mobility will have to fit into the current regulations, she recommended.Then, when considered in objects without human piloting, it will be necessary to "completely digitize airspace", she continued.Concretely, it will be a question of increasing "the computing power on the ground traffic systems so that they communicate with an aircraft" which will have a edge segment, while ensuring that this link is "extremely secure".

71% of Europeans ready to try it

Once the regulatory question has been regulated, it will be necessary to win "acceptance of the public", warned Florian Reuter.This must go through the reduction of visual and sound pollution caused by these aircraft, but especially by "proving to society that we generally improve the quality of life in the city" and not only that of "privileged",-Is he argue.For comparison, when "we look at why helicopter failed to hatch" in urban air mobility, there is both the lack of acceptability by residents with "noise", and"The price of the trip," said Marc Houalla.

However, "this visual and sound discomfort will only decrease if" the aircraft "make noise and that people feel safe" with these objects "above their heads", explained Yannick Assouad."The key word is security," she concluded.Note of optimism, however: many citizens seem ready to welcome these new modes of transport in their lives.If we believe a study published by the European Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) in May, 83% of Europeans have a positive vision of the Urban Air Mobility, and 71% would even be ready to try it.

Pontoise, a laboratory of the Urban Air Mobility

Above all, urban air mobility can be based on high market potential.Nothing in Île-de-France alone, 43 million trips were made per day in 2018, for a total of 12.1 million Ile-de-France, notes the global transport survey (EGT) carried out by Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM).In addition, the region welcomed 50 million tourists per year before.In fact, Paris "is the largest city in continental Europe" and "it is a perfect setting" to bring together "pioneers" in the field, summed up Florian Reuter.In total, the intelligent mobility sector should represent $ 15.2 billion in 2030 against 5.3 billion in 2018, according to a markeetandmarket reports, sectoral analysis institute.

While waiting for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, the ADP group wants to make Pontoise airport a "vertort" to test "the whole value chain" of the world of urban air mobility, enthusiastic Marc Houalla.From certification with the DGAC, including acceptability from local residents, the objective is to make it an "experimental center", he explained.After an hour of conference and an "ambitious calendar", the speakers seem resolutely optimistic, he noticed Florian Reuter.

Read here: Flying cars will really take off

Read here: ADP wants to accommodate flying taxis in Roissy for OJ 2024

Margaux Fodéré

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