An electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft recently completed its maiden flight across the Yangtze river in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, offering a glimpse into the future of low-altitude travel. Commonly known as air taxis, eVTOL aircraft offer new options for short-haul flights in urban areas. An eVTOL aircraft can take off and land flexibly because it does not need runways. It also offers zero carbon emissions and lower noise than traditional helicopters. The five-seater, 2-metric-ton Prosperity eVTOL aircraft of Shanghai-based eVTOL developer AutoFlight took off from an aerial vehicle base in the Pukou High-tech Zone in Nanjing, circled the Yangtze river at a height of 250 meters, reached for the skies above the Yuzui Wetland Park in Jianye district, and returned to the base within five minutes. The straight-line distance between the two locations is 5.5 km, but the ground vehicle journey covers a distance of 20 km, requiring a 25-minute car ride, said Xie Jia, Senior Vice President of AutoFlight.
In February, Prosperity completed the world’s first inter-city air-taxi flight from Shenzhen to Zhuhai in Guangdong province. Last week's Nanjing flight highlights the possibilities in tourism. “The eVTOL aircraft can ease traffic congestion on roads while providing tourists with aerial views, enhancing both convenience and the sightseeing experience,” Xie said. The aircraft created a world record for a flight of 250.3 kilometers on a single battery charge. “Compared with urban helicopters, we have advantages in cost, which is about CNY6 per km,” Xia said. “Currently, it is undergoing test runs without anyone onboard, controlled by ground flight programs. Manned operations are not expected to begin until at least 2026. By then, the aircraft will have pilots.” Courier service provider SF Express may use the device in the near future in mountainous areas and islands where land transportation is inconvenient, Xie said.
As one of the first civil unmanned aerial test areas in the country, Nanjing has gathered nearly 60 related enterprises in its Pukou district, where an industry chain is being formed. Nanjing is expected to open more than 120 low-altitude air routes by 2026 to meet the diverse needs of low-altitude airspace users, according to a three-year action plan to construct a low-altitude flight service support system (2024-26) released recently. It defines four major development goals to be achieved by 2026:
• to construct more than 240 low-altitude aircraft takeoff and landing sites and supporting low-altitude information infrastructure;
• to designate an airspace of about 1,500 square kilometers, and open more than 120 low-altitude air routes.
• to develop four major applications – public services, production operations, low-altitude transportation and aviation consumption. A
• to establish a safe and efficient low-altitude management mechanism. No fewer than three test flight sites and drone operator training points will be built.
The plan also aims to develop inspection and testing institutions, and formulate a batch of low-altitude flight management rules and standards, the China Daily reports.
