Singapore Set To Have Flying Taxis By 2023

German start-up Volocopter plans to launch a flying taxi service in Singapore within 3 years. The flying taxis will be emission-free, taking off & landing vertically. 

“Singapore is renowned for its leading role in adapting and living new technologies,” Volocopter Chief Executive Officer Florian Reuter said. 

Volocotper already completed a demonstration flight back in October 2019 around Singapore’s Marina Bay area. However, they still need to conduct more comprehensive tests, flight trials, evaluations, and certification to get approval for these air taxi operations.

Once approval is granted, the start-up plans to offer a similar route for commercial flights, offering tourists spectacular views of the skyline. The taxi will carry up to two passengers, meaning a pilot and one customer with tickets for a 15-minute trip costing 300 euros. The start-up also mentioned, they may include cross-border journeys in the future. 

For now, Volocoper plans to set up a team of 50 pilots, engineers, and operations specialists who will support the Singapore flights. They also expect to hire more than 200 full-time employees by 2026, who will manage a network of routes. 

All in all, 2023 seems to be a promising year for urban air mobility. Not only are we set to see Volocopter launch in Singapore, but Uber also previously stated that they’re planning to fully launch air taxis in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Melbourne by the same year. Who will be first – Volocopter or Uber? I guess we’ll have to wait and see!