Flying taxis, announced as a spectacular innovation for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, ultimately did not fly over the capital’s skies. But the promoters are not giving up.
On the occasion of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games which took place on July 26 in Paris, very futuristic machines were to fly over the capital, under the astonished eyes of tourists from all over the world. These flying taxis which take the form of a helicopter were the perfect opportunity to showcase French know-how internationally and to make an impression. Indeed, this innovation, presented at the Vivatech 2024 show in Paris, highlights a brand new technology developed by Aéroports de Paris and the German company Volocoptère.
On June 12, despite criticism from Paris City Hall and the Environmental Authority, the Minister of Transport had given his approval to these experimental flights that were to take place on a heliport located at the Cité du design et de la mode, not far from the Gare d’Austerlitz. But shortly before the start of the festivities, the promoters abandoned the project. What happened?
When it comes to safety, the engines for these flying taxis have not received the necessary approvals in time. Indeed, flying taxis must meet very strict safety standards before being allowed to fly in urban airspace. Regulators must ensure that these vehicles are safe for passengers and city dwellers. Approval processes can therefore be long and complex. For Dirk Hoke, CEO of Volocopter, additional checks required the engines to be sent to the United States, which delayed the project for a long time and led to the cancellation of these flights for the 2024 Olympics… A story of a few weeks of delay.
Following this failure, the promoters are not giving up hope. Demonstrations could be organized “by the end of the year” 2024. The first flight of this type should take place in the Yvelines department, at the Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole aerodrome.