With its purchase of a composite glider company DG Flugzeugbau, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) heavyweight Volocopter has done more than expanded through acquisition. It has also taken a major step forward toward its goal of obtaining air taxi operating authorization from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
UAM tie-up brings manufacturing, regulatory benefits
Though the manufacturing benefits of the linkup should be substantial, the acquisition is also significant in making the pair the first to have obtained both production and design organization approval from the EASA. Those authorizations are among the largest hurdles that urban air mobility (UAM) companies must clear in producing craft, and ultimately using them in providing transport services. It’s purchase of DG Flugzeugbau – which should be completed by the end of summer – places Volocopter at the head of the pack striving to launch UAM businesses across Europe.
The move adds DG…