Paris 'flying taxi' test flights scrapped during Paris Olympics

NEW DELHI: The plans to showcase flying taxis during the Paris Olympics have been put on hold due to a delay in the certification process for the VoloCity engine, according to information provided to AFP on Thursday by the project's promoters. The futuristic drones, designed to transport passengers, were set to take to the skies as part of the Olympic festivities.


Volocopter, a German company, has been diligently working on test flights in the Paris area for several years. The firm had been actively seeking authorization from European authorities to operate the flying taxis in time for the Olympic Games. Volocopter has formed partnerships with ADP, the French airport operator, RATP, the Parisian metro and bus operator, and the Paris regional government to bring this project to fruition.

However, Edward Arkwright, the deputy CEO of ADP, revealed that the certification for the VoloCity engine, which was developed and manufactured by Volocopter, had been postponed by a few weeks due to issues related to its motors. This unexpected delay has forced the organizers to abandon their plans for flying taxi demonstrations during the Olympics.

"We are a little disappointed, but in any case we had said that we would not make any compromises with security," he added.

Volocopter CEO Dirk Hoke said the delay was due to "an American supplier who was not capable of providing what he had promised".

The original schedule for test flights, which were set to occur during the Olympic Games, has been altered. Instead of landing on a float situated near the Austerlitz railway station in southeastern Paris, the flights will now take place at a different location.

The organizers had initially aimed to capitalize on the global attention garnered by the Olympics to demonstrate the efficiency of the technology in connecting "vertiport" take-off and landing sites. However, the revised plan involves conducting test flights without passengers at the aerodrome in Saint Cyr l'Ecole, a suburban town west of Paris, on Thursday and Sunday.

Saint Cyr l'Ecole is situated in close proximity to the Chateau de Versailles, which is hosting the Olympic equestrian events. Proponents of flying taxis argue that they represent a low-carbon form of aviation and envision future larger versions being utilized for various purposes, such as ambulances or other roles.

Despite the potential benefits, numerous city officials in Paris have expressed criticism towards the plans, deeming them detrimental to the environment.