Air mobility company EHang has achieved another important milestone in its effort to make its passenger-grade autonomous aerial vehicles a common sight in the skies. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CCAC) has granted permission for the air taxis to be used for heavy-lift logistics.
Under regulations introduced in February 2019 by the CAAC, EHang becomes the first company to be granted airworthiness certification for a passenger-grade autonomous air vehicle (AAV). Air logistics trials are now being carried out at a customer site in Taizhou in the Zhejiang province of China, transporting cargo between ground level and hilltop locations, as well as between shore and islands.
This development follows an air tourism collaboration with LN Holdings to take hotel guests on aerial sightseeing jaunts, and is intended to be the first of a number of air logistics operations undertaken by the company, rolled out to other sites as EHang gains more experience and gathers vital operational data.
The AAV that's now authorized to carry over 150 kg (330 lb) of cargo per flight is the EHang 216, a two-person electric air taxi that's reported capable of a top speed of 130 km/h (80 mph) and a maximum flight time of 21 minutes per charge.
"We are thrilled that the CAAC and EHang took the lead on the world’s first commercial pilot operation approval of passenger-grade AAVs for air logistics uses," said the company's founder, chairman and CEO Hu Huazhi. "This approval is of great significance. For EHang, it enables us to enhance our first-mover advantage and accelerate the commercialization of AAV technology and air mobility solutions for logistics.
"It also lays a foundation for regulators around the world to jointly explore and establish a coordinated, supportive and sustainable regulatory environment. This will benefit the long-term development of the promising Urban Air Mobility applications."
You can see the EHang 216 undergoing test flights at Taizhou in the video below.
Source: EHang
What a question ! It differs by too many revolutionary factors to mention ! First and foremost, they are all electric with no complicated gearboxes and maintenance prone service intervals, absolutely amazing ! This fact alone blows everything out of the competition hands down ! Second, autonomy and Multirotors and because its electric have systems integrated into it that was designed from the very start to be extremely integratable with systems self complimenting each other in ways ICE systems cannot. The technology is much more customizable and easily upgradable.
That makes reaction times via split seconds, rather than to have to wait for changes with internal combustion engines.
3rd, we have a propulsion system that instantly starts and stops, no hazardous rotorblades spooling up for several minutes before take off and landing and a smaller footprint.
4th Clean, it's clean, yes it it is as our energy dependancy in futire will come from green technology, so in complimentary fasion so will charginf these machines come from a clean source ! These are simply 4 reasons, i can write 56 more ! !
@ Graehem S
Not at all whatsoever dreaming, it's happening ;) 21 minutes is barely the warmup, it the start of the integration and systematic implementation of these craft into commercial society that is revolutionary. 21 minutes is plenty enough to get people from A to B. Studies suggest that people only travel in a radius of 50km from home, so no need for long hauls. But as the batteries improve long hauls will come anyway.
Indeed the West is developing many systems, tested in Germany Asia and Dubai to name a few major areas, i have been following all this very closely ;) I extensively comment on this site on almost every manned multirotor article. The regulations has always been this behind the times but as you yourself said, the only way this will really move forward in the west is if some risk are being taken, the industry is too behind the times and stagnating with change, not good at all, China will surpass the West because of this backward thinking mentality, and i coming from the west will support that 100% as we are not getting anywhere near to their progress in terms of practical integration, (there is loads of talks and deals being struck in the west, but nothing much happening)
CLEARLY you do not understand the robustness and super stable flight of EVTOL's at all, and YES it is just you, the propellers on aircraft are a 100 times more dangerous yet they are certified and operational for over a century now ! Electric propellers start and stop instantly, the propellers will never turn while you walk about the aircraft, this is really multicopter 101 basics. They are super stable, helicopters are prone to ground effect, dynamic rollover, and being caught in a vortex. Multirotors are multitudes safer !