Volocopter has not only been busy in working on its air taxis but has also been focused on entering the utility drone market on a similar design. Much like the experimental 2X and upcoming VoloCity, the latest drone VoloDrone is also an 18-rotor electric aircraft.
VoloDrone can be remote-controlled or set to a pre-planned route in autonomous mode. However, instead of carrying the passengers, the VoloDrone has been designed to fit different kinds of cargo and equipment under its belly. Whether it is a box, an agricultural sprayer, or disaster relief tools. The VoloDrone shares a variety of specs with the VoloCity. It is capable of carrying the same maximum payload of 200 kilograms and can achieve a similar top speed of 68 mph.
The VoloDrone can, however, fly for a distance of 40 kilometers more. It measures in at a width of 9.2 meters and a height of 2.3 meters. The VoloDrone takes up the same space as its air taxi counterpart. The VoloDrone is also charged by battery swapping; this takes under five minutes only. Volocopter conducted the very first public demo flight recently in Marina Bay, Singapore. It lasted for only two minutes and was manned by an onboard pilot.
The flight is indeed a long way from the startup days of the company. The company is now focused on playing the long game where its air traffic control system will be taking legacy air transportation into account. Still, there is no word on when we will be able to see a VoloDrone in the skies above us. In regards to VoloDrone making it to the consumer market, the company has only said, ‘in the near future.’ On the other hand, the VoloCity two-seater will be entering service in the next two to four years with Singapore most likely serving as the most probable candidate for the very first hub in South East Asia.
