Electric flying taxi completes first inter-city flight

China The world's first inter-city flight by electric vertical take-off and landing flying taxi lasted about 20 minutes on February 27.

Prosperity flying taxi flies autonomously between the two cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai. Photo: AutoFlight — Prosperity flying taxi flies autonomously between the two cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai. Photo: *AutoFlight*

AutoFlight, a China- and Germany-based developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL), completed a major milestone in urban air mobility on February 27 with the world's first autonomous intercity flight of an eVTOL.

During the demonstration flight, AutoFlight’s five-seat Prosperity flying taxi traveled between the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai, covering a distance of 50 kilometers. The flight lasted only about 20 minutes, much faster than the usual three-hour journey by car.

With a maximum range of 250 km, Prosperity is capable of traveling at a cruising speed of up to 200 km/h. Renowned designer Stephenson, who has worked with car manufacturers such as Mini, Fiat, Ferrari, McLaren, Maserati, participated in the design of Prosperity. The successful flight on February 27 shows the technological strength of AutoFlight and the support of the regional government in integrating eVTOL.

Tian Yu, founder and CEO of AutoFlight, expressed excitement about the new intercity flight, saying the company plans to work with local authorities and partners around the world to make eVTOL safe, efficient, sustainable and affordable in cities around the world.

The regional government plans to develop a “low-altitude economy,” Yu said. The strategy is to open thousands of heliports and hundreds of eVTOL routes in the Greater Bay Area of southern China, including the Shenzhen-Zhuhai route. Low-altitude applications include passenger transport, tourism, logistics and emergency services. The short-term plan is to achieve 300,000 unmanned cargo flights in the region each year.

One of AutoFlight’s partners is Heli-Eastern, a helicopter and general aviation services provider, which has agreed to purchase 100 Prosperity air taxis. AutoFlight expects to obtain passenger flight certification for Prosperity in about two years.

eVTOL technology has great potential to transform urban transportation. Compared to helicopters, eVTOLs have the advantage of requiring minimal infrastructure for takeoff and landing, while still being capable of the high speeds of traditional aircraft. The electric powertrain of eVTOLs also promises lower operating costs and significantly reduced noise pollution.

Thu Thao (According to Interesting Engineering )

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