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Diamond Aircraft VC200 (defunct)

 

VC200 (defunct)
Diamond Aircraft Industries (Formerly Volocopter GmbH)
Bruschal, Germany
www.diamondaircraft.com
www.volocopter.com

On March 10, 2025, Wanfeng Auto Holding Group Co., Ltd. confirmed the takeover of Volocopter with a stock exchange announcement reported by China eVTOL News. Volocopter GmbH was founded in 2011 in Karlsruhe, Germany, by Alexander Zosel and Stephen Wolf with the intent of making an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) multicopter aircraft for fast and efficient advanced air mobility (AAM). Advanced air mobility has also been called urban air travel. On Oct. 21, 2011, the company made history by making the first crewed flight in the world of a multicopter, named the VC1. The multicopter was flown in southwest Germany by co-founder, primary designer, inventor and builder, Thomas Senkel. The Guinness Book of World Records has the historic flight listed on their website. The company was originally known as "e-volo GmbH" until being renamed to "Volocopter GmbH" in July 2017 and the company is now based in Bruchsal, Germany. In March 2025, Diamond Aircraft Industries stated it plans to keep Volocopter's headquarters in Bruchsal, Germany.

In 2015, Volocopter received the “Climate Champion COP21” award at the Paris Climate Conference (held 30 November - 11 December 2015) in Paris, France, for the Volocopter. Also in 2015, the company stated the Volocopter is being designed to be flown with the option of being piloted drone, remotely, or autonomously, for passenger aircraft. For cargo aircraft, the Volocopters are being designed to be flown remotely or autonomously. The Volocopter is simple, safe and green.

VC200 passenger eVTOL multicopter prototype defunct aircraft
The Volocopter VC200 is a full scale two passenger eVTOL multicopter prototype defunct aircraft that made many successful test flights. The first uncrewed flight took place indoors on November 17, 2013. The first crewed flight took place on March 30, 2016. Volocopter claimed this as the world’s first two-seat electric VTOL aircraft. The multicopter has side by side seating made for one pilot and one passenger. The VC200 is no longer flying and is now defunct.

 The cruise speed of the multicopter is 100 km/h (62 mph). The empty weight of the aircraft is 300 kg (661 lb), its maximum payload weight is 150 kg (331 lb) and its maximum takeoff weight is 450 kg (992 lb). The multicopter has 18 non-tilting VTOL propellers, 18 electric motors and is powered by batteries.

The cabin has a front windshield with no side doors. Safety belts are required when flying the aircraft. The fuselage is made from carbon fiber composite. The length of fuselage is 2.9 meters (9.5 feet), the height of the multicopter is 2 meters (6.6 feet) and the diameter of rotor assembly frame is 9.15 meters (31 feet). The aircraft has fixed skid landing gear.

The Volocopter 2X is a refined next generation version of the VC200 and at the time had a limited number of pre-production prototypes under development for future sale.

Future developments
Volocopter will be manufacturing the aircraft, running the air taxi service, building Voloports, allow passengers to request a flight through an app, will not be selling their aircraft to individuals and will offer air taxi urban travel at competitive prices. Volocopter stated in November 2019 that the VC1, VC2, VC200 and 2X prototypes have collectively made over 1,000 test flights, including in Dubai and Singapore.

Diamond Aircraft Industries acquired Volocopter in March 2025
The first announcement of Volocopter's takeover came on March 10, 2025, when Wanfeng Auto Holding Group Co., Ltd. confirmed the acquisition through a stock exchange announcement, as reported by China eVTOL News. Wanfeng Auto Holding Group acquired Volocopter for €10 million ($11 million USD). China eVTOL News offers both free and paid news options.

Diamond Aircraft Industries, a subsidiary of Wanfeng Aircraft Division under Wanfeng Auto Holding Group, is based in Austria and has stated that Volocopter’s headquarters will remain in Bruchsal, Germany. As of December 26, 2024, reports indicated Volocopter had nearly 500 employees, but Diamond Aircraft plans to retain only 160 to 185. Additionally, Wanfeng Auto Holding Group has announced plans to invest several hundred million dollars into Volocopter.

Volocopter VC200 First Flight

Volocopter VC200 top view

Volocopter VC200 in flight

Specifications:

  • Aircraft type: Passenger eVTOL multicopter prototype aircraft
  • Capacity: 2 passengers
  • Cruise speed: 100 km/h (62 mph)
  • Empty weight: 300 kg (661 lb)
  • Maximum payload weight: 150 kg (331 lb)
  • Maximum takeoff weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
  • Propellers: 18 propellers
  • Electric motors: 18 electric motors
  • Motor output: 18x 3.9 kW (18 x 5.3 hp)
  • Power source: Batteries
  • Length of fuselage: 2.9 m (9.5 ft)
  • Height of multicopter: 2 m (6.6 ft)
  • Diameter of rotor assembly frame: 9.15 m (31 ft)
  • Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
  • Cabin: The cabin has a front windshield with no doors
  • Landing gear: Fixed skid landing gear
  • Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers and motors on the aircraft so if one or more motors or propellers fail, the other working motors and propellers can safely land the aircraft. In case of an in-flight emergency, the aircraft is equipped with a whole aircraft emergency ballistic parachute.

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