More and more Asian countries are embracing the idea of air taxis and are doing everything in their power to see these futuristic flying vehicles in the sky as soon as possible. The latest to join the urban air mobility trend is Thailand, which recently signed a partnership with Chinese eVTOL (electric take-off and landing) manufacturer EHang.
One of the largest conglomerates in Thailand, by the name of Charoen Pokphand Group, teamed up with EHang to introduce autonomous aerial vehicles (AAVs) in the country. The multinational company operates across multiple industries, from agriculture to e-commerce, and more. Its goal is to use EHang’s technologies and solutions to facilitate the development of an urban air mobility ecosystem and smart cities in Thailand, as explained by Thanakorn Seriburi, Senior Vice Chairman of the group.
Charoen Pokphand plans to eventually use EHang’s AAVs in various scenarios, from aerial sightseeing to cargo and passenger transportation, last-mile delivery, and smart city management, to offer just a few examples.
Thailand is just one of the Asian countries that seem to be very open to the idea of autonomous aerial vehicles, with EHang closing several other deals in the region over the past year. Japan also expressed its interest in its air mobility solutions. Back in January, AirX placed what was described by EHang as the largest pre-order it’s received so far in Japan, for 50 units of its EH216 AAV. Bali also ordered 100 units through Indonesian company Prestige Aviation, while Malaysia’s Aerotree purchased 60 AAVs, 50 of which are of the EH216 series and 10 of the newer, long-range VT-30 eVTOL.
The EH216 is a short-range AAV that features 16 electric motors, two gull-wing doors, and has a capacity of two passengers. It offers a range of up to 21.7 miles (35 km) with the maximum payload onboard, can reach speeds of over 80 mph (130 kph), and altitudes of 9,800 ft (3,000 m).
The VT-30, on the other hand, is described as a long-range eVTOL, which is also a two-seater, but this one can fly up to 186 miles (300 km) on a battery charge.
Charoen Pokphand plans to eventually use EHang’s AAVs in various scenarios, from aerial sightseeing to cargo and passenger transportation, last-mile delivery, and smart city management, to offer just a few examples.
Thailand is just one of the Asian countries that seem to be very open to the idea of autonomous aerial vehicles, with EHang closing several other deals in the region over the past year. Japan also expressed its interest in its air mobility solutions. Back in January, AirX placed what was described by EHang as the largest pre-order it’s received so far in Japan, for 50 units of its EH216 AAV. Bali also ordered 100 units through Indonesian company Prestige Aviation, while Malaysia’s Aerotree purchased 60 AAVs, 50 of which are of the EH216 series and 10 of the newer, long-range VT-30 eVTOL.
The EH216 is a short-range AAV that features 16 electric motors, two gull-wing doors, and has a capacity of two passengers. It offers a range of up to 21.7 miles (35 km) with the maximum payload onboard, can reach speeds of over 80 mph (130 kph), and altitudes of 9,800 ft (3,000 m).
The VT-30, on the other hand, is described as a long-range eVTOL, which is also a two-seater, but this one can fly up to 186 miles (300 km) on a battery charge.