Photo credit: Nikolay Kazakov
Volocopter teamed up with Skyports to unveil the world’s first full-scale air taxi vertiport today at the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) World Congress in Singapore. This is where the Volocopter 2X, a two-seat, semi-autonomous, multi-rotor electric helicopter, will land and take off. Featuring 18 fixed-pitch propellers, each powered by its own electric motor, while the interior boasts a two-seat, side-by-side configuration in an enclosed cockpit with a windshield.
This aircraft’s chassis is mainly composed of carbon fiber composites and its controls operate through a mesh polymer fiber optic network fly-by-light system. For extra safety, the controls operate via a triple-redundant primary flight control unit, and the stabilization system employs gyroscopes, acceleration sensors, magnetic field measurement sensors and manometers. One thing you may not already know is that Intel is integrating drone technology into the design, or to be more specific, autonomous and remotely piloted control systems.
The VoloPort is an important step towards establishing an entire air taxi solution in Singapore. Skyports has identified a number of potential VoloPort locations and air taxi routes across the city state. We look forward to the next stage of our exciting partnership with Volocopter as we work towards the introduction of commercial air taxi services in the city state,“ said Duncan Walker, Managing Director of Skyports.
