Advanced Air Mobility Modern Flying News

Air Taxis Missed Paris Olympics Goal—Could They Soar in LA?

Air taxi manufacturers will have another opportunity to showcase their technology to the world at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

Monday, August 12, 2024 at 03:09 PM ET

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Volocopter’s VoloCity eVTOL air taxi lifts off from the grounds of the Palace of Versailles outside Paris. [Courtesy: Volocopter]

Key Takeaways:

Volocopter failed to launch commercial eVTOL air taxi services during the 2024 Paris Olympics as planned, primarily due to delays in aircraft certification and local political opposition.
Despite missing the Olympics deadline, Volocopter completed two test flights near Paris and aims to initiate passenger operations in central Paris, potentially by year-end, utilizing developing vertiport infrastructure.
The broader eVTOL industry, including other manufacturers, continues to pursue certification and commercial rollout, with plans for demonstrations and passenger flights at future Olympic Games (e.g., LA 2028) to boost public acceptance.

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An electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer’s plan to turn the City of Light into the City of Electric Air Taxi Flights did not come to fruition.

Germany’s Volocopter last year hatched a plan with international airport operator Groupe ADP to ferry spectators around the 2024 Paris Olympic Games using its VoloCity air taxi, which would mark the aircraft’s commercial rollout. The firm even extended an invite to French President Emmanuel Macron, whose government approved the flights earlier this year, to be its first passenger.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.