France authorizes vertiport on Seine for electric air taxi demonstrations at Paris Olympics

In a significant development for urban air mobility, France’s Ministry of Transport has greenlighted the construction of a vertiport on a floating landing pad on the River Seine in Paris. This initiative is geared towards showcasing electric air taxi flight demonstrations during the Paris 2024 Olympics. The vertiport, operational until December 31, 2024, marks a crucial step for eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) air taxi developer Volocopter and Paris’ airport authority, Groupe ADP.

The authorization of this vertiport is a relief for Volocopter and Groupe ADP, who announced their intentions to launch Europe’s first commercial air taxi flights in June last year. However, Volocopter’s aircraft has not yet received the necessary certifications from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the French Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) to carry paying passengers. Approval is anticipated by autumn.
Located near the Austerlitz railway station in southeastern Paris, the vertiport will host restricted operations between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, with flights limited to two per hour. The total number of flights during the trial period will not exceed 900 movements, reflecting the experimental nature of the technology. At a maximum of two flights per hour, the vertiport could support up to 50 days of full operations.
This floating vertiport will complement four existing vertiports in the Paris suburbs, including sites at Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Le Bourget airports. The Austerlitz site will be the first vertiport near the city center, enhancing urban air mobility within Paris.

Type certification

Dirk Hoke, CEO of Volocopter, shared his excitement about the advancements and future of the company at the latest edition of ADW. "We are in the final stage of receiving the type certification and have already received design organization approval and production organization approval even for this year," Hoke said. He emphasized the importance of gaining public acceptance, stating, "It will allow people to get a first glimpse of how it feels in our city environment to have these vehicles integrated. You will not hear it. You can hardly see it. It's a very small vehicle, but it's all about getting the confidence that the public will accept these vehicles in our cities."
The vertiport project has faced criticism from some city officials and environmental groups. Concerns include potential noise pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Sources close to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo indicated plans to challenge the vertiport permit in court. Last year, France’s national environment authority, Agence de la Transition Ecologique, found the impact assessment for the vertiport incomplete.

Political implications

The initiative aligns with President Macron’s ambition to highlight advanced technologies during the Olympics, potentially showcasing air taxis for transporting competitors and VIPs. However, opposition from Green politicians and activists argues that eVTOLs, despite their environmental benefits, are unnecessary and cater primarily to the wealthy.
The vertiport's establishment, as published in France’s official gazette, restricts operations to Volocopter’s Volocity eVTOLs during the Paris Olympics. While full commercial operations await further approvals, this trial phase aims to demonstrate the potential benefits of urban air mobility.
Hoke is optimistic about the broader implications of these trials: "We will start this year's commercial operation in Paris. And shortly afterwards, towards the end of the year, beginning of next year in Rome and then in spring in Osaka for the World Exhibition in 2025," he explained. He also highlighted the significance of their efforts: "We have to make sure that people know when they enter our aircraft that it's totally safe for the people in the environment. They have to see it's not only safe, but it's also very quiet."
Volocopter plans to conduct test flights at Pontoise Airfield, targeting routes between key locations such as Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, Le Bourget, and central Paris. Following the Paris Olympics, the company envisions expanding its operations to cities like Rome, Osaka, and the futuristic new city to be built, NEOM in Saudi Arabia.