Urban air mobility (UAM) provider Volocopter and SITA have signed a partnership agreement to develop urban air mobility at Passenger Terminal Expo 2023.
Under the agreement, SITA has become the latest investor to join Volocopter’s Series E funding round. The partnership is expected to lead the way in developing a sleek new operating model for air taxis that will define the way cities approach intermodal, integrated mobility in the coming years.
According to the companies, UAM will offer a new form of sustainable aviation, replete with multiple mobility options to cities worldwide. Volocopter’s launch product, the VoloCity electric air taxi, will operate routes in congested megacities to offer future passengers stable, quiet and safe flights. Flights can be hailed via designated boarding points (or vertiports).
SITA intends to deploy its expertise in air transportation for the emerging UAM industry, developing new operating standards and a digital-first passenger experience. Volocopter’s digital operating system, the VoloIQ, has been designed to connect all partners and enable a holistic service. The system is expected to create a digital-first approach that will translate to end-to-end passenger air transportation experiences. This cloud-based system is in the process of being certified by the relevant aviation authorities.
Sergio Colella, president for Europe at SITA, commented, “Volocopter’s testing day for its Series E funding was an impressive day. We could see the flight, test the boarding experience. I was very impressed by the attraction of the piece. It felt like translating science fiction into reality. While Volocopter is a young company, SITA is not. We want to build the next innovation together. The passenger is at the center of our intent. We want to create the best, most seamless passenger experience possible, so we selected each other. it was a very easy decision to partner with Volocopter. It is in the pole position to make air mobility a reality. We want to create a decarbonized travel experience through intermobility. Volocopter is supporting that intent. We’re really excited to launch this initiative.
Christian Bauer, chief commercial officer at Volocopter, said at the signing, “In the last year, we showed the initiation of our ticketing software into SITA’s hardware. When traveling, I would always see SITA tech at every airport. I’m very proud that we have been chosen by SITA. Thank you for your confidence, Colella. We’ve both said that we have the ideal partnership. We’re signing today to bring urban air mobility to the next level.”
For more information, visit SITA at Booth 1250.
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