China to pilot eVTOL aircraft services in six cities
- By Web Desk -
- Nov 19, 2024
China will start piloting electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft services in six cities in an effort to better capitalise on the possibilities of the low-altitude economy, local media reported.
Sun Weiguo, a representative of the China Air Transport Association, stated at a seminar in Kunshan, that the central air traffic control committee will test the services in six cities, Global Times reported.
Hefei, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen. and Chongqing Municipality have been selected as the six pilot for pilot operation,
Airspace below 3,000 meters in vertical height is referred to as low-altitude airspace. According to news portal pub-zhtb.hizh.cn, China’s low-altitude economy is now concentrated on airspace below 1,000 meters, with the majority of drone flights operating below 600 meters.
The development of China’s low-altitude economy depends on effective airspace management. “Airspace below 600 meters” has been specifically acknowledged by several towns when organizing information pertaining to low-altitude economies.
According to the Shenzhen Transport Bureau, Shenzhen announced plans in early November to construct more than 8,000 new 5G-A base stations, with an emphasis on enhancing low-altitude network coverage below 600 meters to facilitate creative low-altitude economy applications in a variety of industries.
The Nanjing city administration stated in July that it aims to increase the flyable airspace to less than 600 meters and demarcate more than 1,500 square kilometers of airspace by 2026.
United Aircraft debuted the world’s first 6-ton-class tiltrotor aircraft, the Lan Ying R6000, at the just-completed 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China.
The Lan Ying R6000 can take off and land vertically without runways and has a 2 ton cargo capacity. It is promising for business travel, logistics, and emergency rescue due to its advantages in speed, range, and cargo capacity. According to the business, there will ultimately be kerosene, hybrid, and fully electric variants of the vehicle.