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Here is a video of the aircraft in flight.

The Volocopter Looks like it would fly quite differently than a helicopter. Is that true? Does that matter? Is it still a helicopter license that's needed?

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The German transportation ministry has decided to create a new aircraft category for this machine.

From Aviation Week:

Karlsruhe-based E-volo says the Ministry has commissioned a two- to three-year trial program to create a new category of ultralight aviation to cover the two-seat VC200 rotorcraft now in development. [...] Under the trial program, the German Ultralight Aircraft Association, Sport Aircraft Association and Federal Aviation Office will work with E-volo to create a manufacturing specification, legal regulations and training requirements for the new "Volocopter" ultralight rotorcraft category.

So according to this, the exact licence, and training requirements will be deteremined by the currently running trial program. It seems the manufacturer tries to position the craft as some sort of rotational-wing ultralight.

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    $\begingroup$ What about FAA? $\endgroup$
    – user2168
    Commented Aug 2, 2014 at 20:23
  • $\begingroup$ I can't find any sign that the company started talks with the FAA. Maybe they want to wait to finish the German program, and try to use that data to convince the US authorities. But this is barely more than pure speculation. $\endgroup$
    – krisoft
    Commented Aug 2, 2014 at 20:28
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    $\begingroup$ @Articuno whether the faa would call it ultralight or rotorcraft seems unimportant to me as my limited experience in rotorcraft tells me flying one without training is going to end very badly. Nothing like an airplane. $\endgroup$
    – casey
    Commented Aug 3, 2014 at 0:58
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    $\begingroup$ @casey - You are actually supposed to get training before flying an ultralight (though nobody checks, to be fair), and I think anyone getting an ultralight rotorcraft would clearly seek training... The bigger advantage of flying an ultralight has to do with the lack of restrictions on the craft itself and it's subsequent lower cost. Whether or not this aircraft will be deemed an ultralight is, I think at least, a very interesting question. $\endgroup$
    – Jae Carr
    Commented Jun 12, 2015 at 12:11
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    $\begingroup$ Unlikely that will qualify as US ultralight - too heavy, especially with batteries instead of fuel. I would also be concerned about the absence of autorotation capabilities inherent in all quad copter style designs. Yes, it has a parachute, but autorotation is more than a slow descent, it is the ability to precisely steer the bird to a safe landing location while descending that makes the difference. This particular creation also depends entirely on an onboard autopilot. They never go wrong... right? I'm thinking about a Mosquito ultralight... after I have a heli solo ticket. $\endgroup$
    – tj1000
    Commented Jun 13, 2017 at 23:19

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