Air taxi services one step closer to Europe’s skies as final package of legislation approved
Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) has been given the go-ahead for Europe’s skies, as a package of legislation regarding drones and Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft has been approved by the European Commission.
The package, based on regulatory proposals from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), compliments existing legislation and is the last legislative element needed to launch piloted air taxi services. The package targets two separate, and emerging, areas in aviation. The first involves manned aircraft that are capable of VTOL (commonly known as manned VTOL aircraft or piloted air taxis). The second addresses higher-risk unmanned drone operations. It will introduce EU-wide airworthiness certification requirements and comprehensive safety procedures for both manned and unmanned VTOL aircraft. It also sets the criteria and processes required for the certification and maintenance of drones.
The package is a mixture of implementing and delegated regulations, which are legally binding in all EU member states and take precedent over national legislation. The implementing regulations will shortly be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, whilst the delegated regulations are due to be published in May. Air taxis will additionally require certification from EASA before such services can become operational in Europe.
