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Germany-based Volocopter has selected SITA, the air transport industry’s information technology (IT) provider, as its preferred digital and IT systems partner for vertiports.
As part of the agreement, SITA has joined Volocopter’s Series E funding round, the statement said.
SITA will deploy its expertise in air transport for the emerging urban air mobility (UAM) industry, developing new operating standards and a digital-first passenger experience.
Volocopter’s launch product, 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.
Christian Bauer, Chief Commercial Officer at Volocopter, said: “Working in concert with our partners, we are setting up for commercial operations. This involves establishing the requisite infrastructure, maintenance, flight operations, IT, and customer services.”
Sergio Colella, SITA President for Europe, added the company will play a key role in delivering this new digital UAM world and defining a seamless, smarter approach to air travel in a city environment.
“Together, we will turn the theory into practice as early as 2024, when we expect the first commercial eVTOLs to take flight,” he added.
Last month, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved the design of the new flying taxi stations in Dubai, which will start operating within three years. The prototype design of the first aerial taxi vertiport will be located near Dubai International (DXB).
(Writing by P Deol; Editing by Anoop Menon)
