Demo flight of air taxis a success

An electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft takes off from Shekou Cruise Homeport in Shenzhen for Zhuhai Jiuzhou Port yesterday. Developed by Shanghai-based AutoFlight, the four-passenger aircraft conducted a demonstration flight on the 55-kilometer route, which significantly trims the usual 2.5 to 3-hour road trip between the two cities to 20 minutes. Courtesy of the city's transport bureau

Two air vehicles using Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) technology performed a formation flight yesterday, flying from Shekou Cruise Homeport to Jiuzhou Port in Zhuhai.

Two air vehicles perform a demonstration flight from Shekou Cruise Homeport to Jiuzhou Port in Zhuhai.

This air taxi service will reduce the one-way ground journey between the two cities from about three hours to a mere 20 minutes, marking a new milestone in the future of low-altitude travel.

The air vehicles, both the Prosperity I model developed by Shanghai-based AutoFlight Technologies Co. Ltd., took off from a platform in Shekou at 5 p.m. After ascending vertically to about 100 meters under the power of their eight fixed VTOL propellers, each vehicle transitioned into forward flight on route to Zhuhai. Accompanied by a helicopter, the demonstration flight concluded after 20 minutes with a successful landing at Jiuzhou Port.

Data from AutoFlight show that Prosperity I has a flight range of 250 kilometers and a cruise speed of 200 kilometers per hour. With a maximum takeoff weight of 1,500 kilograms, it is capable of carrying four passengers and luggage.

AutoFlight made headlines in March last year when it set a world record for the longest eVTOL aircraft flight powered solely by battery. In a remote-piloted test flight in Germany, the aircraft showcased its ability to maintain a cruising speed of 200 km/h and cover a range of 250 kilometers.

With advancements in electric vehicles, new-energy batteries, and vehicle materials, the research and development of eVTOL technology has accumulated significant experience for practical applications.

During the demonstration flight ceremony yesterday, Longgang District signed a strategic cooperation agreement with AutoFlight Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. to collaborate on expanding the low-altitude economy and demonstrating viability in various scenarios.

As a pioneering city in China, Shenzhen has unveiled measures to support the development of the low-altitude economy including fostering technological innovation, expanding application scenarios, enlarging the logistics market scale, and enhancing infrastructure. In 2022, the city was designated as a pilot area for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aviation by the Civil Aviation Administration. The city was also listed as a demonstration area for the national general aviation industry as well as a pilot area for the classified administration reform of national general aviation.