Daimler Autonomous air taxi to fly THIS YEAR!
Daimler
backs radical eighteen rotor autonomous air taxi and says 'Volocopter' will
start testing in Dubai THIS YEAR
·
Aviation start-up
Volocopter is developing a fully autonomous flying vehicle they hope will
become a taxi
·
German automobile firm
Daimler has invested $29 million dollars in the company boosting its chances
·
The fully electric
vehicle has a maximum airspeed of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour
·
It can transport up to
two passengers without a pilot and travel for 27 minutes on a charge
·
Later this year, the
company will work with Dubai's Road and Transport Authority on first tests
·
German automobile firm Daimler and other
investors have has invested more than $29 million dollars (25 million euro) in
aviation start-up Volocopter.
Volocopter plans to use the money to invest in further
developing its electrically powered, autonomous Vertical Take-Off and Landing
(VTOL) aircraft and 'conquer' the market for flying air taxis.
Volocopter's 'Volocopter 2X' is a fully electric VTOL
with 18 quiet rotors and a maximum airspeed of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per
hour - and it can transport two passengers without a pilot.
·
The funding is being provided by Daimler, as well as
technology investor Lukasz Gadowski from Berlin and other investors.
In addition to the funding news, Volocopter announced
that in the fourth quarter of 2017, it will work with Dubai's Road and
Transport Authority (RTA) to conduct tests of its vehicle as an autonomous air
taxi.
The trial operations and certification program is
expected to continue for five years.
According to Volocopter, the aircraft has an average
flight time of 27 minutes and has 9 independent lithium-ion battery pack
systems.
The aircraft's batteries have a maximum charging time of
under 120 minutes, with a fast charging time of less than 40 minutes.
The aircraft has a communication network for safety and a
an emergency parachute on board.
The company says that the aircraft is 'especially quiet'
because all of its 18 rotors acoustically operate within a narrow frequency
band.
According to the company, a Volocopter 2X within 75
meters (246 feet) is as quiet as the smallest helicopter within 500 meters
(1,640 feet) distance.
VOLOCOPTER 2X - TECH SPECS
·
18 'especially quiet' rotors that operate
within a narrow frequency band
·
Maximum airspeed of 100 kilometers (62
miles) per hour
·
Can transport two passengers without a
pilot
·
Average flight time of 27 minutes
·
Communication network and emergency
parachute on board
·
Height: 2.15 meters
·
Diameter: 7.35 meters
+7
·
The
strong financial commitment of our new investors is a signal as well as proof
of the growing confidence in the newly emerging market for electrically driven
VTOLs put to use as personal air taxis' says Florian Reuter, the managing
director of Volocopter.
'We deliberately sought a mix of investors with strategic
and entrepreneurial backgrounds and were able to implement this perfectly with
Daimler and Lukasz Gadowski.'
According
to Volocopter, the company's plan is to further the development of the aircraft
up to production maturity and commercial licensing through aviation authorities
worldwide.
This will involved test flight programs, and the
employment of more engineers specialized in the development of flight
systems.
While Daimler's position as an automobile company is valuable
for Volocopter, Volocopter claims that investor Lukasz Gadowski can support
Volocopter in other ways.
He's had experience in the global scaling of tech
start-ups, which Volocopter says will be of value to it in asserting itself on
the global market.
'I have been interested in flying cars and following
their development for a while.
'When I saw the Volocopter I got it: The 'flying car' has
no wheels!
'What is exciting at Volocopter is not just the
magnificent vision but also that which has already been tangibly
implemented.
'Huge ambition with both feet on the ground - a unique
combination! In the coming years we can expect a revolution in manned
aviation.
'We at Volocopter will significantly contribute to
shaping it!'
Volocopter also plans to invest some of the funding in
developing brand awareness.
For example, the company has already launched a new
website, and a communications team will be installed to promote planned events
and demonstrations of the aircraft.
According to
Volocopter, the company's plan is to further the development of the aircraft up
to production maturity and commercial licensing through aviation authorities
worldwide
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