The Chinese from the EHang company are starting to sell an unmanned flying taxi. What kind of unit is it for the price of a two-room apartment in Moscow, which is charged from an outlet?

The Chinese company EHang is the first in the world to start selling the EH216-S mobile air taxi.

We haven’t seen any developments in the past few years, but the EH216-S has already been cleared for passenger flights.

Such a device will not be cheap. You can’t always buy it, but not because of the price.

EHang EH216-S can fly at speeds up to 130 km/h

The EHang EH216-S is an eVTOL – vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) processing aircraft. Technically this is neither a plane, nor a helicopter, nor a car. This is a new type of transport, which most people are still unfamiliar with.

The eVTOL is in some ways a hybrid of a helicopter and a drone. It takes off and lands vertically and is much quieter than a helicopter. Typically, an eVTOL is much smaller than a helicopter. The main purpose of eVTOL is passenger transportation in the city over short distances.

Of course, you can use a helicopter for this, but eVTOL is more versatile due to its compactness. It does not require a secure landing site, the sound from its blades is much quieter, so in theory it can be safely used in public places without any discomfort.

The EH216-S is a classic eVTOL in the sense that there is nothing unique about it.

The EH216-S has 16 propellers and 16 electric motors. Battery charging time is 120 minutes.

It turns out that an air taxi will be enough for either two short trips, or one duration, after which a two-hour charge will be required.

Air taxi is equipped with an autopilot

The EH216-S has two seats, both for passengers. A pilot is not needed to operate an air taxi.

All control will be taken over by the autopilot, which will fly along a predetermined route.. The operation of the system will always be monitored by an operator who, in an emergency situation, will be able to remotely control the device.

EHang was able to prove that both of these methods are safe in civil aviation.

Drone flight technology avoids failures caused by manual errors, helping passengers to fully relax and enjoy the journey without worrying about control problems.

EHang

Passengers can view the summer route in a special application. If any problems arise during the flight, the air taxi independently changes the route in the bag of the operator.

To maintain stable communications, 4G and 5G technologies are used.

You cannot buy an air taxi for personal purposes.

In December 2023, EHang became the first company in the world to obtain a license for commercial passenger transportation using eVTOL. The license was issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The company submitted its application at the end of December 2020. For three years, CAAC tested the EH216-S and reviewed all documentation to issue a conclusion.

The license applies only to commercial flights. That is, you won’t be able to buy an air taxi for personal use.

Only a Chinese company will be able to purchase the device.. Before purchasing, EHang will review each proposal to ensure that the EH216-S will be able to fly in unknown terrain and that all restrictions will be respected.

This is the perfect entertainment for tourists

First of all, the summer taxi will be used for tourist purposes, such as sightseeing tours around the city.

It is already known that the EH216-S will be able to benefit tourists in Guangzhou.

Another use case is taxis, that is, when people fly from one point to another. But this direction does not continue, because the devices can only fly along given routes.

But regardless of the type of use, one thing is for sure: flying the EH216-S won’t come cheap. Sam The aircraft costs 2.39 million yuan. This is approximately $333 thousand or 30.7 million rubles..

This is the real price. No configurations, additional options or finishing options are provided.

The air taxi industry is actively developing

Managing eVOLT and air taxis around the world. Outside of the company, some restrictions go beyond minimum travel. For example, in the USA the Alia machine is currently being developed, which can fly 400 km.

But most manufacturers design aircraft for regular flights. This type of transport has a number of advantages, including speed, comfort and environmental friendliness.

It is possible that other countries will follow, for example, China, and this will lead to the issuance of permission to fly.