Bristow has placed a firm order for two VoloCity aircraft with Volocopter, to be delivered after certification, with an option to purchase a further 78 vehicles in the future. Both companies are now working to build a UAM ecosystem through regulatory discussions, infrastructure exploration and local partnership building.

A joint development agreement covers the exploration of commercial, operational and eVTOL aircraft maintenance services, including adaptation of the VoloIQ, Volocopter’s proprietary digital platform, to ensure Bristow’s efficient future operations.

Volocopter expects to receive final certification from EASA in 2024, while concurrent certification from the FAA could enable the company to start commercial services in the US shortly thereafter.

Dave Stepanek, executive vice president and chief transformation officer for Bristow, says: “Launching this collaborative effort with Volocopter marks a major milestone in Bristow’s effort to usher in a new era of vertical transportation solutions. Volocopter has taken a pragmatic approach to certification with a simple and elegant initial aircraft design and is leading the pack in its efforts to bring its aircraft to market. We are looking forward to lending our more than 75 years of innovation and expertise in bringing new aircraft into service and developing new markets side-by-side with Volocopter.”

Christian Bauer, CFO and CCO of Volocopter, adds: “Our partnership with Bristow and the firm VoloCity orders received propel us forward as we unlock new markets. With this collaboration, Volocopter has surpassed 500 pre-orders accumulated including nearly 30 firm orders from reputational partners.”