China’s flying taxis struggle to take off

ChinaThe skies are fast becoming the testing ground for future transportation, with an unmanned, oval-shaped vehicle from flying taxi manufacturer Ehang now undergoing testing. guangzhou,

The vehicle, described as making noises like a mini-helicopter, evokes scenes once limited to science fiction films as it hovers over a riverside innovation zone.

The development is part of a growing “low-rise economy” that is already impacting daily life nearby. Shenzhen,

Here, food-delivery drones are a common sight and a new attraction for tourists. Polish Visitor Karolina Trzcianska experienced this firsthand and ordered bubble tea and lemon tea via drone.

“This is the first time I’m seeing something like this, so it was pretty fun to see food being delivered by drone,” she commented after her drink arrived through the drizzle.

Such enterprises are expanding rapidly with significant government support, although the sector faces barriers including stringent airspace controls and battery limitations.

In 2023, activities in airspace below 1,000 meters are expected to generate 506 billion yuan (£55 billion) of turnover, representing 0.4 per cent. ChinaEconomy of.

This figure is projected to rise to 3.5 trillion yuan (£380 billion) by 2035, according to Zhang Xiaolan, a researcher at the State Information Center.

flying cars are being built

Guangdong Province, home of drone giant DJI With an estimated 70 percent share of the global commercial drone market, the low-lying economy is leading in growth, followed by the prosperous eastern coastal provinces. Jiangsu And ZHEJIANGnear shanghaiAccording to a report by a research unit of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking UniversityAnd other institutions.

Other big players involved Guangdong These include EHang, logistics company SF Express’ drone arm Phoenix Wings and automaker XPENG’s flying car unit ARIDGE.

In October, Guangdong announced it planned to accelerate the construction of flight service stations and platforms to facilitate airfield operations and would support locally issued discount vouchers for low-altitude tourism.

Its technology and financial hub Shenzhen has launched a 15 million yuan ($2.1 million) prize for companies that earn the certification required for passenger eVTOLs, which are “electric vertical take-off and landing” vehicles that lift off the ground like a helicopter, among other incentives.

ChinaThe Civil Aviation Administration has granted certificates allowing EHang to provide commercial passenger services with its pilotless eVTOL, a low-altitude aircraft that can reach speeds of 130 kilometers per hour (81 mph) with a maximum range of 30 kilometers (19 mi).

EHang has not launched commercial routes, but its vice president, He Tianxing, says it aims to start with aerial sightseeing services.

The company has been building takeoff and landing sites in 20 Chinese cities over the past two years. He hopes that perhaps after five years, aircraft from different companies will fly on multiple routes.

He envisions an eventual citywide network using the rooftops of malls, schools and parks as terminals.

“This cannot be just a research product, nor an engineer’s toy,” he said.

Accidents, battery limits and airspace control

The biggest challenges to developing eVTOL aircraft are sustaining long flights and overcoming battery capacity limitations, said Guo Liming, co-founder of Shenzhen-based SkyVetOL, whose single-seat manned eVTOL aircraft, which costs about $100,000, can only fly for 20 to 30 minutes before needing to charge.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing either.

In September, two XPENG’s eVTOL aircraft collided after rehearsals for an exhibition and one of them caught fire during landing. The company said no one was hurt, but a week later another expo canceled the flight demonstration.

Undaunted, XPENG continues to showcase its flying cars, including a six-wheeled ground vehicle with a detachable eVTOL aircraft. After investing more than $600 million, the company said it has more than 7,000 global orders for its “Land Aircraft Carrier” and has begun preparations for mass production.

Testing Sightseeing Flights in Dunhuang, a Major Ancient silk Road The destination, famous for its Buddhist caves and mounds, is planned to open next July.

It is unclear how soon such aircraft will begin carrying paid passengers on a regular basis. Elsewhere some companies have spent their funding before even reaching the commercial launch stage.

In GermanyAir taxi manufacturers Lilium and Volocopter filed for bankruptcy, although it was later purchased by Diamond Aircraft Group, a subsidiary of a Chinese firm.

After years of commercialization, drone applications are not as widespread in China.

Even though the country is a leader in drone technology and manufacturing, policy barriers, including limited access to airspace, may mean overseas markets are more promising, said Frank Zhou, managing director of GBA Low Altitude Technology Co., which provides technical software to customers.

“Maybe for some Southeast Asian countries, if I introduce these applications, their demand may increase,” he said.

Zhang, a researcher at the State Information Center, said in a report that less than a third of China’s low-altitude airspace was accessible for general aviation use in 2023 and there were problems with uneven distribution and lack of internet connectivity. Excluding private airports, the number of registered general aviation airports in China was about one-tenth that of the US, he said.

Authorities are loosening their grip, but unrest lies ahead

Chinese policymakers are gradually working towards closing this gap. The military normally commands the use of most Chinese airspace but has promised to simplify approval processes and reduce review times in Shenzhen and five other provinces.

The proposed amendments to the Civil Aviation Law include a chapter on the development and promotion of civil activities, addressing low-altitude airspace allocation and supervision.

It’s still early days, said Gary Ng, senior economist at Natixis Corporate and Investment Banking.

They expect progress towards commercialization around 2030, with the introduction of eVTOLs carrying passengers for tourism or industrial purposes before flying taxi services. He said some Hawaiian products could become major exports.

China is a latecomer to this industry, but is now a leader in developing small drones and investing in low-altitude airspace, said Chen Wen-hua, director of China’s largest drone drone, China. hong kong Polytechnic University’s Research Center for Low-Altitude Economy.

have an advantage decision Communist PartyThe ability to galvanize regulators, industry players and universities to work toward the same goal, he said. But the development of the technologies involved and the safety concerns and public acceptance will determine how quickly various applications of drones and low-flying vehicles are adopted.

The future of the low-altitude economy is bright, Chen said, “however, the road leading to that bright future can be treacherous.”