The launch of Volocopter’s air taxi operations in Singapore has been put on hold indefinitely, according to the Straits Times as the company has been unable to secure local partners who can share the burden of funding the technology involved. Volocopter told The Straits Times (ST): “We are therefore revising our Singapore launch strategy and timeline.”
“In 2022, the German company went public with plans to launch a 15-minute air taxi flight in the Marina Bay area around early to mid-2024” reports the ST. “It said then that the hiring of key staff was expected to start by the end of 2023.
“In response to queries from ST on Nov 17, Volocopter said that because of economic uncertainties, the company had expected that fund raising would be more challenging globally.
“It added that its commercial operations rely on the cooperation of cities where it has plans to launch operations. This requires the adaptation or construction of new infrastructure, route and regulatory planning, and the development of a digital network.
“To start commercial air taxi services in Singapore, Volocopter said it would require a complete urban air mobility ecosystem, including aircraft, infrastructure and connectivity.”
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(Image: Volocopter)