2024-02-17 16:48:40
Foto: Shutterstock
Text: Hugo León
China has just taken another step on its path to the future and this is one that literally marks a takeoff of technology: an air taxi made its first commercial trip at the end of December in the Asian giant.
The new model promises to become a sensation for tourism, by being able to offer unique experiences taking off from beautiful parks and various sites of interest and will take clients to enjoy adventures in essential places in the area.
According to the company EHang, a world leader in urban mobility technological platforms, the pilotless aircraft are certified for passenger transportation and carried out successful commercial demonstrations in the Chinese cities of Hefei and Guangzhou.
This is the pilotless EH216-S model, which has eight propellers that help it take off and is completely autonomous.
It has capacity for two passengers and can travel a distance of 50 kilometers, with loads of up to 300 kilograms, according to the company. It can exceed speeds of 90 kilometers per hour and despite being six meters long and almost two meters wide, it is a vehicle with very low noise levels, according to international media reports.
The launches took place in Jiulong Lake Park, Guangzhou, and Luogang Central Park, Hefei, where dozens of people attended to see the lucky ones who were invited to the rides.
The successful takeoff and journey of these vehicles is a milestone for commercial urban mobility operations, as it opens the door to the development of air traffic systems in cities.
A strength will be in “relieving” the traffic congestion that is inevitable in urban areas, and extending its use for tourist purposes.
Before these commercial trips, Ehang’s flying taxi made more than 40 thousand test flights since 2017. Now, by having a certificate issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, its flying taxi can operate legally.
Traveling in flying cars is the dream of millions of people around the world, influenced by scenes from science fiction movies, a dream that is closer.