WATCH: First Electric Air Taxi Successfully Completes Test Flight in Saudi Arabia

In a major feat, Saudi Arabia has successfully completed its first electric air taxi test flight, thus making another leap toward adopting commercial eVTOL operation in NEOM and beyond. As officially announced by NEOM, the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) was completed after a week-long trail run in the futurist smart city, being built in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Province.

Notably, this was for the first time when the eVTOL aircraft had received a special flight authorisation, following which he carried out the test flights. While the test campaign lasted for over a week, it was built on 18 months of collaboration between NEOM, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), and Volocopter.

Both NEOM and Volocopter have been sharing a joint vision to create a better future through mobility, which reflects NEOM’s ambition to revolutionise and transform people’s lives. “Celebrating the first ever #eVTOL aircraft test flight in Saudi Arabia and marking a milestone in the creation of our innovative transportation system in #NEOM,” the official post read.

Once completely approved for operations, the eVTOL aircraft are expected to be used as air taxis and emergency response vehicles. The companies state that the aircraft will be quieter, more adaptable, and also affordable, in comparison to the helicopters that are used today. Also, the eVTOLs are smart and sustainable as they will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy such as solar and wind energy sources.

Speaking about costs of the test flights, it has been built on NEOM’s EUR 175 million investment and joint venture with Volocopter, stated a Saudi Gazette report. Notably, while this positions NEOM as a leader in future mobility solutions, Volocopter on the other hand will be looking forward to obtaining type certification of its VoloCity air taxi in 2024 to enable future commercial operations.

In a major feat, Saudi Arabia has successfully completed its first electric air taxi test flight, thus making another leap toward adopting commercial eVTOL operation in NEOM and beyond. As officially announced by NEOM, the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) was completed after a week-long trail run in the futurist smart city, being built in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Province.

Notably, this was for the first time when the eVTOL aircraft had received a special flight authorisation, following which he carried out the test flights. While the test campaign lasted for over a week, it was built on 18 months of collaboration between NEOM, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), and Volocopter.

Both NEOM and Volocopter have been sharing a joint vision to create a better future through mobility, which reflects NEOM’s ambition to revolutionise and transform people’s lives. “Celebrating the first ever #eVTOL aircraft test flight in Saudi Arabia and marking a milestone in the creation of our innovative transportation system in #NEOM,” the official post read.

Once completely approved for operations, the eVTOL aircraft are expected to be used as air taxis and emergency response vehicles. The companies state that the aircraft will be quieter, more adaptable, and also affordable, in comparison to the helicopters that are used today. Also, the eVTOLs are smart and sustainable as they will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy such as solar and wind energy sources.

Speaking about costs of the test flights, it has been built on NEOM’s EUR 175 million investment and joint venture with Volocopter, stated a Saudi Gazette report. Notably, while this positions NEOM as a leader in future mobility solutions, Volocopter on the other hand will be looking forward to obtaining type certification of its VoloCity air taxi in 2024 to enable future commercial operations.