The VoloDrone shares many similar specs with the VoloCity, as it can carry the same maximum payload of 440 lbs (200 kg) at up to a slightly further distance of 25 miles (40 km), and it can reach the same top speed of 68 mph (110 km/h). At 9.2 m wide and 2.3 m tall, the VoloDrone takes up almost just as much space as its air taxi counterpart. Likewise, charging is done by way of battery swapping, which takes no more than five minutes.

Volocopter’s expansion into the utility drone business should come as no surprise. While the German company is already backed by the likes of Daimler and Geely, a multi-purpose industrial drone serves as a stepping stone — both in terms of development and business standpoint — into the far more challenging and unexplored air taxi market. Competitors such as Lilium, Kitty Hawk and Uber have also been making noise in this space recently, but with the exception of Uber, most of them appear to be focusing on passenger aircrafts. As for cargo drones, Boeing has been developing one that’s capable of carrying up to 500 pounds.

It wasn’t until last week when Volocopter successfully conducted its first-ever public demo flight over Marina Bay in Singapore, albeit for merely two minutes and being manned by an onboard pilot. Still, that was already a long way from the team’s frightful startup days. What matters more is that Volocopter has also been making sure that its air traffic control system can take care of both its air taxis as well as legacy air transportation.

There’s no word on when we can expect to see a VoloDrone in the skies — the company only said “in the near future.” On the other hand, the VoloCity two-seater may enter service within the next two to four years, with Singapore being a likely candidate for the first hub in South East Asia.

In its latest round of funding, Volocopter has been backed by Geely, the Chinese automotive group which manufactures Volvo and Lexus cars as well as London’s electric black cabs. It has also secured the support of German automotive giant Daimler, which is looking to invest in back ride-sharing, autonomous vehicle and taxi services.

Volocopter raised a total of 50 million Euros (about $55 million) with an aim to bring its air taxi service to China. The company says it can use this money to launch a commercial flying taxi within three years. Given its reveal last month of its fourth-generation eVTOL, or electric take-off and landing aircraft, it may well be able to meet its goal and begin trials in Singapore later this year.

The German company faces competition in the skies, however, from the Kitty Hawk air taxi company backed by Google co-founder Larry Page and from Uber which is working on its own flying taxis.

Volocopter is one of the first flying taxi companies to integrate into air traffic control systems, but others aren’t too far behind. As Engadget’s Andrew Tarantola wrote, more than 70 companies are currently developing their own personal flying vehicles. Uber, in particular, has invested heavily. And the demonstration at Helsinki Airport isn’t just good news for Volocopter. It also speaks to the fact that multiple air traffic systems are ready to safely manage air taxis and their interactions with traditional aircraft.

Earlier this month, Volocopter revealed the designs for its first commercial autonomous flying taxi. The company previously said it hopes to have air taxis in the sky by 2023, but it will have to build take-off and landing infrastructure and integrate with air traffic management systems. Yesterday’s successful test flights demonstrated that Volocopter is at least ready to do the latter.