Flying Taxis take off in China. EHang, a prominent Chinese drone manufacturer, has made waves by introducing its latest innovation, the EH216-S model flying taxi, for commercial sale on Taobao, Alibaba’s renowned online shopping platform. Priced at 2.39 million yuan ($332,060), the EH216-S is marketed as an “innovative solution for urban transportation.”
The EH216-S is meticulously designed to accommodate two passengers and boasts impressive specifications, including a maximum speed of 130 km/h and a range of 30 kilometres.
Its compact dimensions, standing at 1.93 meters in height and 5.73 meters in width, combined with a maximum takeoff weight of 620 kilograms, aim to provide efficient transportation for short-to-medium distance journeys, as highlighted on EHang’s official website.
Key features of EHang’s passenger-carrying electric unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) include a full backup safety design, unmanned operation, and centralised management facilitated by an intelligent command and control centre. This command-and-control centre enables monitoring, dispatching, controlling, early warning, and centralised management of the flying taxis’ flights.
Operating on electric power, the EH216-S can be fully charged in just two hours. The charging devices are equipped with real-time communication capabilities with the aircraft’s Battery Management System (BMS). Additionally, the EH216-S is equipped with fail-safe safety systems and utilises 4G/5G high-speed wireless network transmission links for seamless communication with the command centre, as outlined in the official information provided.
EHang achieved safety approval certification from China’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) in October 2023, marking a significant milestone in the development of electronic vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. This certification underscores EHang’s commitment to pioneering advancements in urban air mobility and revolutionising the future of transportation.
