With how rapid the technology is developing, the dream of flying taxis could be closer to turn into reality. Companies around the world are rushing to roll out all sorts of models that, in a few years, will be an alternative to cars, buses, and subways, especially in megacities.
Chinese company eHang has long been working on flying taxis. Since 2016, when it introduced its first autonomous passenger drone dubbed EHang 184, more projects have been under development. Now, a new model has been unveiled, and it promises to expand regional air mobility with a long range.
The VT-30 is an electric autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) designed for inter-city transportation. It features eight propellers on the sides of the cabin (that’s six down from its last EHang 216 model), a pair of big fixed wings, and a propeller at the rear. According to eHang, the design was created to achieve balance for the hybrid lift and push concept.
This would allow the VT-30 to work both like a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and like a small plane that would land on available runways. It also has an electronic interface that replaces the traditional manual flight controls that can be switched between different modes, suggesting increased safety and performance.
It’s a two-seater that can carry passengers from one city to another on a distance of up to 300 km (186 miles) with a battery life of 100 minutes. For now, there hasn’t been any information mentioned about its cruising or top speed limit.
EHang says that the VT-30 is already a full-scale prototype that has undergone several tests, including vertical take-off and landing and power system evaluations. More tests and optimizations are announced, and they will follow under various environmental conditions.
Until we get to see this thing buzzing over our heads, the company will need some more time before it will fully implement it. On the other hand, the 216 is almost ready for cities, having completed its first flight test in the U.S. last year.
The VT-30 is an electric autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) designed for inter-city transportation. It features eight propellers on the sides of the cabin (that’s six down from its last EHang 216 model), a pair of big fixed wings, and a propeller at the rear. According to eHang, the design was created to achieve balance for the hybrid lift and push concept.
This would allow the VT-30 to work both like a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and like a small plane that would land on available runways. It also has an electronic interface that replaces the traditional manual flight controls that can be switched between different modes, suggesting increased safety and performance.
It’s a two-seater that can carry passengers from one city to another on a distance of up to 300 km (186 miles) with a battery life of 100 minutes. For now, there hasn’t been any information mentioned about its cruising or top speed limit.
EHang says that the VT-30 is already a full-scale prototype that has undergone several tests, including vertical take-off and landing and power system evaluations. More tests and optimizations are announced, and they will follow under various environmental conditions.
Until we get to see this thing buzzing over our heads, the company will need some more time before it will fully implement it. On the other hand, the 216 is almost ready for cities, having completed its first flight test in the U.S. last year.