Air taxis could be the future of travel in the state of Florida. Officials from Hillsborough County and Pinellas County, along with Tampa International Airport (TPA) officials, gathered for a demonstration on November 2.
TPA and Volocopter partnered to demonstrate Florida’s first urban airmobility (UAM) test flight and the first at a large U.S. airport. UAM is a new category of aircraft that focuses on short- to medium-range flights, transporting people and goods to or within an urban environment. Quiet, safe and sustainable operations of a certified eVTOL are designed to not only provide efficient transportation to reduce congestion, but to lower the carbon footprint of the aviation industry.
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TPA looks at the future of air travel
“Tampa International Airport has always embraced innovation and futuristic planning, and we’ve already identified a potential site for urban air mobility as a part of our Master Plan,” TPA CEO Joe Lopano said. “This technology has the potential to transform the aviation and transportation industry, and we’re excited to partner with Volocopter as we introduce and visualize the amazing possibilities that lie ahead.”
The travel hub is typically on the cutting edge of transportation. Enhancements from the time you arrive at the airport are already in place. Express curbside pickup and drop-off locations, contactless terminal access, local restaurants/businesses prominently featured in the airsides, and a multitude of fine art pieces (see: Giant Flamingo) are all facets of TPA’s dynamic approach to innovation and customer service.
Volocopter recently announced its partnership with the Bristow Group to begin operations of eVTOLs in the near future, with Florida being one of the targeted areas of operation. Since 2018, Volocopter has flown in three U.S. locations, with Tampa being the first site in Florida as well as the first test flight at a major U.S. airport.
Volocopter hosts a test flight in Florida
Tampa International Airport officials have identified spots in. the city that are already perfect for vertiports. The electric airplanes lift off vertically like helicopters but are completely battery-operated. Some of the first companies creating these electric airplanes could have the vessels certified and ready to launch by 2025.
“Flying at a large, active airport always presents a multitude of challenges, but we proved that our aircraft is safe, quiet, and efficiently useful in a city like Tampa,” Volocopter CEO Dirk Hoke said. “Volocopter sees this as the starting point of the entry into service in the US, and we will come back to show our continued progress. We thank all attending guests for the support given to make this first-ever eVTOL flight in Florida a success.”
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