11 June 2019
Lilium, the Munich-based startup developing an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi, has selected London to be the base for a new software team.
The team will work on software to make affordable, electric, on-demand air taxis a reality by 2025, said Lilium. Roles will also be added in Lilium’s existing hubs in Munich and Zurich. The announcement coincides with London Tech Week.
Daniel Wiegand, CEO of Lilium, said, “We are one of very few companies in our sector that wants to both produce air taxis and then operate them day-to-day.
“We are hiring the best of the best from a global talent base, forming the basis for achieving our target of becoming the leading air mobility company.”
Three new Lilium appointments were also announced today. One was Carlos Morgado, former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Just Eat, who will lead the development of the software engineering team as VP Digital Technology.
Morgado said, “Delivering Lilium’s vision of an on-demand air taxi service that customers can order directly from their smartphone will require software, and a team, that is almost unparalleled in its sophistication.
“Not only do we need to deliver a seamless digital experience for our customers, which will be based around a ride-hailing app similar to those you would use for a taxi today, but we also need to create the software that will enable us to manage our fleet in the smartest and most efficient way possible.
“We’ll be scheduling flights, moving aircraft around to match changing demand, and managing maintenance, all in three dimensions, with the added complexity of having to integrate with existing air traffic control regulations and systems.”
