Urban air mobility (UAM) company Volocopter has chosen SITA as its preferred digital and IT systems partner for vertiports.
The tie-up sees the IT provider participating in Volocopter’s Series E funding round.
SITA will provide its know-how in air transport for the UAM industry, as well as develop new operating standards and digital-first passenger experience.
Currently, the firm’s IT solutions suite serves airport management, baggage processing, border management as well as passenger and aircraft operations.
SITA Europe president Sergio Colella said: “Volocopter is in pole position to make electric air taxis a reality, benefiting from its first-mover advantage.
“At SITA, we 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.”
Volocopter’s electric air taxi called VoloCity will run on routes in congested megacities.
People willing to take the air taxi can use designated boarding points called vertiports.
The alliance between SITA and Volocopter is expected to shape aviation industry standards through the development of digital infrastructure for vertiports.
Volocopter chief commercial officer Christian Bauer said: “Volocopter consistently takes a holistic ecosystem approach. 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. SITA is a leading IT provider for airports and airlines, and we believe there is no better partner to make our seamless travel experience possible.”
