Volocopter Opens Production Facilities in Germany

Air taxi developer Volocopter announced the official opening of its production facilities in Bruchsal, Germany to step up air taxi production. 

The new location has a hangar to house the company’s final assembly line, and an airfield where development flight tests and quality checks will be conducted. 

With the establishment of its Bruchsal facility, the German aircraft manufacturer will be able to ramp up production of its VoloCity electric air taxis which will be put in service throughout the world and provide commercial services from next year. 

“Right here is where the aircraft that will change how humanity moves about cities will take off and make its way across the world. This region is known for transforming mobility – the bicycle, the car, and soon Volocopter, too. Electric air taxis and Volocopter in particular is a technology made in Germany that will make the world a more sustainable place,” Volocopter CEO Dirk Hoke said. 

Volocopter, while expanding its presence in Bruchsal for the past 18 months, has received both design organization approval (DOA) and production organization approval (POA) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This certification covers the entire manufacturing process of the VoloCity eVTOL, including the development of carbon fiber parts, the whole electric propulsion unit, final assembly with decking of the propulsion system and fuselage, and comprehensive end-of-line flight tests.

Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister of Digital Affairs and Transport, attended the opening ceremony and said Volocopter has played an instrumental role in putting Germany at the forefront of the air taxi industry. 

“Germany is already a world leader in the development of air taxis, thanks in part to Volocopter’s great pioneering spirit. I would like to support and build on this leading role by creating a framework that enables innovation and progress,” he said, adding that the company is working with key industry players on technical and legal issues without delay.

“We are doing this so that the first drones carrying people and goods can take off very soon,” Wissing said.

Volocopter’s production facilities have the capacity and regulatory approval to create over 50 VoloCity eVTOLs annually. 

Last October, the company completed the first manned test flight of the VoloCity. Just a month later, it secured USD$182 million in its Series E funding round. 

In March, Volocopter partnered with air transport technology company SITA to develop IT systems for vertiports.

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