Volocopter, a global leader in urban air mobility (UAM), announced today that it will launch a European sandbox program in 2026 to advance testing of its electric aircraft — the VoloCity and the VoloXPro — under near-commercial operation conditions. The initiative will feature a series of flight trials simulating real-world operations.

The sandbox will validate operational readiness and support type certification for both aircraft through point-to-point missions. These trials will replicate key aspects of future UAM services, including flight procedures, ground operations, and passenger experience for VoloCity, as well as operational use cases for VoloXPro in urban and regional mobility.

As part of this initiative, Volocopter’s long-standing partner ADAC Luftrettung will collaborate on select missions, exploring potential applications of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technology for emergency medical services and lays the basis for ADAC Luftrettung’s upcoming pilot trials, which will begin in selected regions.

“This sandbox is the final stretch toward making electric air taxis and ultralight aircraft a reality in Europe,” said David Bausek, CTO at Volocopter. “Testing VoloCity and VoloXPro in real-world environments with trusted partners like ADAC Luftrettung ensures we’re ready for commercial launch.”

ADAC Luftrettung also emphasized the importance of this collaboration:

“eVTOL Technology, especially Volocopter’s products, could transform emergency response and regional coverage by enabling faster, quieter, and more sustainable missions,” said Frédéric Bruder, CEO at ADAC Luftrettung “Participating in Volocopter’s sandbox program allows us to explore these possibilities firsthand.”

Volocopter’s European sandbox program marks a major milestone in the company’s journey to bring sustainable urban air mobility to European cities, with insights gained contributing directly to the rollout of future VoloCity and VoloXPro services.