Volkswagen V.MO

2022: Announcement of a vertical take-off passenger drone

At the end of July 2022, Volkswagen Group introduced a passenger unmanned aerial vehicle called V.MO. It is capable of transporting up to four people at a time, as well as their bugs. The range exceeds 200 km, the manufacturer claims.

The model has a length of 11.2 meters and a wingspan of 10.6 meters. The UAVs were equipped with 10 screws: eight are designed for vertical take-off and landing, and two located at the back are designed for horizontal movement.

Volkswagen unveils vertical take-off passenger drone

Volkswagen Group China CEO (this is the unit involved in the creation of V.MO.) Stefan Wollenstein said the project was developed from scratch by a young team of Chinese engineers who designed the prototype, developed the design as well as new safety standards during the fabrication of this prototype. As the X-Wing flying passenger drone project progresses, Volkswagen Group China will work with the relevant Chinese authorities to obtain certification.

Flying passenger drones are outside the traditional Volkswagen market, but the company notes that "urban air mobility promises to be an important market segment." As the automaker explained, eVTOL aircraft are expected to become popular for short and medium distance transportation, especially in and between major cities. This is especially true in China, where traffic jams clog roads and the V.MO shuttle can carry passengers faster and more maneuverably than currently available ground vehicles.

Earlier, the Chinese division of Volkswagen launched the Air Mobility Project. Its goal is to find solutions that will help enter the urban air mobility market, which other large automakers are exploring with might and main. By July 2022, Volkswagen does not give a timeline for the start of sales of its passenger drone V.MO.^[1]

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