Imagine escaping the never-ending traffic nightmare? Imagine stepping into a futuristic pod, buckling up, selecting a destination on a touchscreen, and soaring through the air to your chosen endpoint.
Flying taxis might be serving a city near you soon because of Guangzhou-based business Ehang. Ehang has been granted the world’s first airworthiness certificate for its completely self-flying taxi, clearing the path for a new era of autonomous, airborne public transportation. If you live in an area with brutal rush hour traffic, getting to and from via autonomous flying taxi might soon be an option worth waiting for.
The Ehang 216 has been designed to provide short, intra-urban trips for two passengers. With its 16 independent rotors arranged in a bi-level, octo-copter arrangement, the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) vehicle can reach a top speed of 100 kph (62 mph) and a maximum range of around 30 km (19 miles). The vehicle is powered by 16 electric motors which provide energy to 16 propellors.
Ehang 216 features a small aero-cab structure, which can accommodate up to two passengers with sufficient leg room and baggage space.
The Chinese government’s approval of this passenger-carrying drone demonstrates a growing acceptance of this frontier technology, opening the door to potential mass adoption in the future. The certificate granted to Ehang is the first of its kind, thrusting China into the forefront of an emerging global market.
Josh Gordon, a leading expert in geonodes and aviation innovation at Geonode, suggests that the news of Ehang’s breakthrough could have significant implications for future mobility.
Gordon explains to Digital Journal: “This approval signals the viability and safety of passenger drones, marking a significant leap towards integrating autonomous flying taxi services into our everyday lives.”.
Although Ehang’s certification is a landmark moment, significant hurdles still loom. Achieving widespread passenger drone utilization requires not just technical achievements. Updates to regulatory frameworks and the public’s readiness to adopt this new form of transportation are also needed.
In line with this, Gordon mentions some of the advantages of autonomous flying vehicles, which include spending less time in traffic; safer travel; and, a lower carbon footprint being based on electric vehicle technology.
Ehang’s certification marks a seemingly important milestone toward a future where taxi services might just require a runway rather than a road. While much work still lies ahead, it might not be too long before we see autonomous taxis dotting our city skylines, redefining the future of urban mobility.
