Seeing flying taxis flying through the skies of cities is going to be a real thing very soon. China has already authorized the first autonomous vehicle with flight capability and even customized models have been presented that will be used throughout the world. The one from the National Police of Spain that we are going to show you is one of them.
The CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) has given its authorization for the EH216-S AAV to fly, a drone vehicle with capacity for two passengers that would change the rules regarding autonomous movement through cities. It is a creation of the Ehang company and fits into the eVTOL category, which means that it is an electric vehicle whose takeoff and landing system is carried out vertically.
The goal is global
They say from China that having obtained the flight certificate is only the first step. Its objective is to obtain permission to be able to put the taxi in the sky in all corners of the world. And, that they already have authorization in China, it will be something that will make the path easier for their vehicles to fly in the rest of the countries. The United States and Europe are two of the main markets on which they have their sights set, but Ehang is also taking into account the expansion plan through Southeast Asia. If all goes well, the idea is that international expansion will take place in 2024.
In the short term, what Ehang is focusing on is choosing the Chinese city that will see the debut of the EH216-S AAV. However, they have announced that they intend to take them to all types of places in the country, given that China is one of the regions with the greatest demand for this type of transportation. To this end, they have already carried out a first joint project with the Xiyu Tourism entity, to which they have provided five units of the taxi. They will seek to offer a new philosophy of low-altitude tourism that can revolutionize the industry. The plans are ambitious, since they have already mentioned that the goal is to have 120 vehicles in flight within a period of just five years.
The National Police will fly through the city
Customers who have been interested in these flying vehicles or who have even placed pre-orders with Ehang to have them available as soon as possible, are joining in from all over the planet. It is indicated that more than 1,200 units have already been reserved by entities such as Malaysian Aerotree or Japan AirX, while it is also expected that police officers will have their own vehicles. This model of the National Police that we have shown you in the news is a good demonstration of what we could find in our country in a short time.
Because, although there are entities that envision the use of these flying taxis for tourism, it is obvious that there are many places where other uses are being sought for them. If police officers have this tool and receive approval to put it on the air, it would mean having a new tool that would allow patrolling in a totally different and autonomous way. They could also be rescue or support vehicles in situations where there are no other resources that can carry out the job.
EHang
@ehang
EHang was honored to host at @mobilitycity_ in Zaragoza of Spain, Guangzhou’s Chief of Municipal Education Bureau and Directors of Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, for showcasing its #EH216 AAV and presenting EHang’s footprint, operations, and activities… https:// t.co/Tsv57Xyk7H https://t.co/4ZF3rSFFSu
October 13, 2023 • 16:44
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It should not be long until the presence of these flying taxis has become commonplace, since Ehang claims that, in a matter of five years, they will be common throughout the world. This leads us to imagine a time when we would not even give importance to seeing them flying above our heads. In addition, their manufacturer places special emphasis on the safety provided by these vehicles.
They visualize its use by marking a starting point and an ending point in the air and letting the machine make the circuit without hindering it. They talk about how, in the early days, they had some small incidents, but nothing that was particularly problematic was ever recorded. Today, the many flights they have made have been carried out perfectly. Therefore, they are ready to share this new technology with the world and thus change, a little more, society as we know it.
