An air taxi arrives in Paris

Seven years ago, the Volocopter’s flying taxi appeared in the news: a vehicle capable of taking off and landing vertically using rotors. That is, an air taxi, that is, something we have seen in at most Fifth Element-level sci-fi. Now this company has come up with a promise to reform urban transport. The structure is already ready for public testing, and in 2021, i.e. within months, test flights will begin in Paris.

If all goes according to plan, the German Volocopter will be able to carry passengers in full swing by the time of the 2024 Paris Olympics; in order for the structure to be operational by then, they will actually be flying over the French capital by early 2021. Florian Reuter, head of Volocopter, sees the first commercial routes of a flying taxi may open within two to three years, and the biggest publicity could be brought to the vehicle by the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In the meantime, however, much remains to be done: the Volocopter has so far only been licensed for testing in suburban areas, so the results need to convince authorities that it would be safe to use in the city center as well. In addition, the infrastructure for vehicle transport needs to be built.

But overall, it’s enough to say, and not read in a fantasy, that the age of air taxis may come soon, right?