World's first unmanned flying taxi is about to take off in China

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) granted operating licenses to two companies, EHang Holdings and Hefei Hey Airlines, on March 29, allowing them to conduct unmanned passenger flights.

EHang Holdings and Hefei Hey Airlines have been granted autonomous air vehicle (AAV) operating licenses for passenger transport, allowing the companies to launch flying taxi services, starting with short-haul routes for tourism and then expanding to larger flight networks. Although the aircraft are autonomous, the companies must still adhere to strict safety, maintenance and operational standards.

The license is the final step in a series of approvals that will allow autonomous flying taxis to be launched to the public. The decision is a key part of the Chinese government ’s strategy to develop low-altitude aviation innovations, including drones and balloons.

The world's first unmanned flying taxi is about to open in China, picture 1 — EHang's EH216-S unmanned flying taxi completed its first commercial demonstration flight in Guangzhou, southern China. Photo: EHang

The licensing process began in July 2024, when EHang announced that the CAAC had begun reviewing its application for a domestic aircraft manufacturing license.

China's "lowland economy ", which is expected to reach 1.5 trillion yuan (about $207 billion) in value by 2025 and nearly double by 2035, is becoming one of the country's fastest-growing industries, according to a report by research group Hurun.

Cheng Bolin, Vice President of the China Information Association, said: "The lowland economy is a new growth engine and will be a driving force for the rapid development of the Chinese economy."

While industry startups like EHang and Feihang Aviation are leading the way, they also face stiff competition from international giants like Boeing, Airbus, and Embraer. However, China is currently the only country with an operational drone taxi service, while others are still in the development and testing stages.

Ngoc Anh (according to Xinhua News Agency, SCMP, Newsweek)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/taxi-bay-khong-nguoi-lai-dau-tien-tren-the-gioi-sap-cat-canh-tai-trung-quoc-post341118.html