Volocopter this week joined forces with airports group Aeroporti de Roma (ADR), investment group Atlantia, and ground infrastructure specialist UrbanV to conduct the first crewed eVTOL test flights in Italian airspace. The five-minute flight using Volocopter’s 2X technology demonstrator occurred on October 6 at a new vertiport set up at Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport as part of a mobility ecosystem trial intended to prepare for the launch of advanced air mobility (AAM) services with flights to the city center in 2024.
The four companies have been working on the project for 12 months, starting after Volocopter first showcased its eVTOL aircraft in the Italian capital. The aircraft flew at 40 km/h at an altitude of 40 meters (131 feet), flying a figure-eight formation in front of invited guests in a demonstration that was approved by Italy’s ENAC civil aviation authority and ENAV air traffic control agency.
