French officials have announced that Paris will start testing electric air taxis at a new test site just outside Paris, with an aim to create at least two flight paths for Olympics passengers during the 2024 summer games.
French Minister of Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari attended the inauguration of the new air mobility testing site at an airfield just a few kilometers out of Paris, as per the press release.
“Everything is falling into place: partnerships, innovation, test areas, regulations, financing,” Djebbari said. “All the ingredients for success are there, all that remains is to make it happen.”
Air taxi for the Olympic Games
The first Olympic route will take passengers between the Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Le Bourget airports, while the second one would link two Parisian suburbs. Around 30 manufacturers are in line to test out several parts of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), and the infrastructure a safe airport would be needed for them.
Aerospace outfits including Volocopter GmbH, Airbus SE, Vertical Aerospace Group Ltd, and Lilium NV will be taking part in the project. The airfield near Paris has already been adapted to include a landing and take-off area, parking stands, and warehouse planning.
The airport has already tested flights with a drone carrying medical supplies including blood bags and health kits, as well as anti-collision and recharging systems.
Other players also joining the race
Previously, Airbus joined the eVTOL race, by introducing its electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft. The potential flying taxi packs a sleek design and is named the CityAirbus NextGen. It packs the best features from previous designs that include the CityAirbus and Vahana demonstrators.
The aircraft is designed for trips in urban areas and features fixed wings, a V-shaped tail, and eight electrically powered propellers. It is capable of ferrying up to four passengers in a zero-emissions flight for around 80 kilometers at speeds of up to 120 kph.
