German eVTOL developer Volocopter has successfully tested its four seat fixed wing passenger aircraft, the VoloConnect. The eVTOL VoloConnect completed its first flight in May 2022, and takes the company closer to having a complete range of urban air mobility (UAM) aircraft undergoing flight tests.

The third eVTOL aircraft design from Volocopter, the VoloConnect flies further and faster than any other Volocopter aircraft to date, with a range of over 60 miles and flight speeds above 155 mph.

According to Volocopter, the VoloConnect’s extended range and higher payload will bring business travellers and commuters beyond the city centre on routes like Burbank to Huntington Beach in Los Angeles, CA.

The VoloCity and VoloConnect air taxis are designed to fulfil demands for metropolitan flights and suburban connections in densely populated regions respectively. The VoloConnect is planned for a 2026 entry into service, while the VoloCity is planned for commercial launch in 2024.

“Having a whole family of electric aircraft in the test flight phase is a pioneering feat,” said Florian Reuter, Volocopter CEO. “Volocopter’s leadership in the industry stems from announcing plans and then delivering on them visibly with public test flights. Our technology platform is the foundation for our family of aircraft approach and has proven to deliver results at an astounding speed. Volocopter is bringing these innovative designs off the ground, into the air, and then to cities worldwide!”

Sebastian Mores, Chief Engineer, VoloConnect, led the team in Munich which developed the VoloConnect. “This is an extraordinary moment for us – seeing the VoloConnect soar to the sky marks the achievement of one of our key milestones and demonstrates just what we are capable of in a short time and in line with the company’s overall strategy for crewed and uncrewed aircraft. Furthermore, new technologies will be tested that will gradually be implemented during the overall programme development,” said Mores.

Volocopter designed the VoloConnect and its other eVTOL aircraft to meet the highest aviation safety standards according to EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency). The prototype completed its first flight in May 2022 after just 17 months in the making and performed a few manoeuvres for two minutes and 14 seconds during its first flight. The prototype has all the planned aerodynamics and performance features of the future commercial product.

The VoloConnect is a lift-and-cruise aircraft designed for missions beyond urban and suburban ranges. Moving parts have been kept to a minimum. Six rotors support vertical take-off while two electric fans in combination with uplift-creating wings provide high forward speeds. Its prototype is currently undergoing flight tests to ensure that the aircraft and its systems are in line with performance limits and prepared for the subsequent development. This phase encompasses low-speed, transition, high-speed, and engine failure testing for automated and later autonomous flights – all standard-issue tests for eVTOL passenger aircraft manufacturers. Within the first three test flights of this campaign, the team was able to verify a significant portion of the eVTOL’s envelope with forward speeds up to 40 mph and 28 mph sideward flight speeds during tests.