Neom and Germany’s Volocopter have recently announced the successful conclusion of a series of pioneering air taxi test flights. The milestone marks the first instance in Saudi Arabia where an eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft has not only received a special flight authorisation, but also carried out test flights. The testing took over a week and followed 18 months of collaboration by Neom, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca) and Volocopter. The three entities aim to create and scale an electric urban air mobility (UAM) ecosystem and testbed in Neom. Volocopter’s eVTOLs are expected to be part of Neom’s innovative and eco-friendly multimodal mobility system, which will be entirely powered by renewable energy sourced from solar and wind power. The eVTOLs are envisioned for various roles ranging from air taxis to emergency response vehicles. They boast advantages such as being autonomous and quieter, more adaptable, more cost-effective and smarter than traditional helicopters, ensuring safety and future-proof operations. Neom invested $191m in a joint venture with Volocopter in 2021. (ICE RIYADH)

Fonte notizia: Meed