Once thought to only exist in science fiction, air taxis will soon take flight in Singapore. By 2024, consumers will likely be able to board an electric aircraft by Volocopter – an urban air mobility (UAM) solutions provider – and enjoy an aerial view of the Marina Bay area.
The 15-minute flight will cover a circular path that offers views of Marina Bay Sands, the Central Business District, the Formula One racetrack, and the Singapore Flyer.
Photos: Nurdianah Md Nur
Following that, Volocopter plans to offer a second route, which will see the electric aircraft – called VoloCity – flying over Sentosa.
VoloCity is a fully electric two-seater aircraft. Christian Bauer, Volocopter’s chief commercial officer, explains that the VoloCity’s 18 motors are powered by nine rechargeable batteries, which can be swapped in between flights with minimum time on the ground. The battery swap design allows the battery to be charged under ideal conditions, significantly increasing the battery packs’ lifespan.
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VoloCity's batteries will be replaced with a new batch for every flight
He adds that VoloCity is much quieter than conventional aerial transportation modes like helicopters. Since all 18 rotors acoustically operate within a narrow frequency range, they cancel each other out to a high degree, so much so that the aircraft cannot be heard flying over the backdrop of regular city noise.
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VoloCity is VoloCopter’s first commercial product and is awaiting certification from The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Enhancing regional connectivity
Besides using VoloCity for tourism purposes, Volocopter also foresees the use of its urban air taxis to enhance regional connectivity.
For instance, a typical journey by car between Changi Airport and Ibrahim International Business District of Johor Bahru can take more than three hours. With VoloCity, a traveller will take just 30 minutes along the same route.
Similarly, UAMs can shorten the time taken for journeys between Singapore and Batam. The duration of the VoloCity flight from Changi Airport is expected to take less than 20 minutes, reducing current travel times by around 160 minutes. This will benefit tech talents and digital entrepreneurs shuttling from Singapore and Nongsa D-Town, a digital downtown that was launched in Batam last year.
When asked how much a VoloCity flight will cost, Bauer shares that it will probably be “a quarter of the price of a typical helicopter ride” during the initial availability. He expects the price to gradually reduce and will be “the same as a premium taxi ride in five to seven years after that”.
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Plans for VoloCity's commercial air taxi service in Singapore
Educating consumers and developing talents
According to Volocopter’s 2020 consumer study conducted in Singapore, 72% of respondents expressed high interest in flying in a VoloCity. However, some were still concerned about the safety aspects of UAMs or air taxis.
To further educate consumers on air taxis, Volocopter today launched a long-term public exhibition at ITE College Central’s Aerospace Hub. Visitors can view a 3D VoloPort scale model, learn more about the UAM industry and Volocopter, as well as sit in a VoloCity.
“[Through this exhibition,] we hope to increase public awareness and education on this new form of mobility and the many ways it will benefit Singapore. We are also partnering with local institutions and organisations as we build our UAM ecosystem. ITE is an ideal place to display our aircraft, as we hope to inspire the next generation of aviation talent to engage with the emerging UAM industry,” says Bauer.
Based on Volocopter’s latest estimates, UAM services could generate $4.18 billion in cumulative economic benefits and create up to 1,300 jobs in Singapore by 2030. Benefits include revenues from sales of air taxi tickets, contributions to suppliers and government bodies, R&D investments, and jobs created to support the air taxi service.
To prepare for such a future, ITE and Volocopter signed a Memorandum of Understanding earlier this year to conduct a feasibility study for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) maintenance training.
“Volocopter’s engineers have already conducted training sessions for ITE lecturers to become familiar with specific disassembly and assembly protocols on the VoloCity,” says Suresh Natarajan, principal for ITE College Central.
He continues: “We are very hopeful that through this collaboration, we are able to provide new career and development opportunities for the Singapore aviation workforce by embracing new technologies and staying ahead with the learning curve it brings.”
