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An eVTOL has successfully flown from Shenzhen to Zhuhai for the first time

The demonstration flight took just 20 minutes – a major improvement on the two hours the journey can take by car.

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PUBLISHED

UPDATED: 29 Feb 2024, 8:14 am

A five-seater electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft flew between Shekou Port in Shenzhen, and Zhuhai’s Jiuzhou Port, in a successful unmanned trial flight on Tuesday, according to reports.

Shenzhen’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced that the 155-kilometre journey took just 20 minutes in the aircraft. In a car, the trip can take two hours or even longer, depending on traffic conditions.

The aircraft is the Shengshilong, made by Shanghai-based Fengfei Aviation Technology. It has a maximum range of 250 kilometres, a maximum takeoff weight of 2,000 kilograms, and can travel at up to 200 kilometres per hour.

[See more: Shenzhen is home to China’s first passenger drone demonstration centre]

No details regarding the possible commercial operation of the route were announced.

Shenzhen is emerging as a hub for China’s “low-altitude economy,” which includes eVTOL aircraft. These are expected to one day be able to perform the likes of package deliveries, air-taxiing services and sightseeing trips. 

In January, the city unveiled China’s first urban air mobility (UAM) demonstration centre.

UPDATED: 29 Feb 2024, 8:14 am

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