China’s EH216-S eVTOL makes history with first pilotless passenger flight in Africa
This was a world first The post China’s EH216-S eVTOL makes history with first pilotless passenger flight in Africa appeared first on Supercar Blondie.
China’s EH216-S eVTOL made history with its first pilotless passenger flight in Africa.
EHang, a Chinese maker of eVTOLs (Electric vertical takeoff and landing craft), recently put its EH216-S through a demonstration flight in Rwanda.
This was an industry first, as it was the first passenger-carrying pilotless eVTOL to take flight on the African continent.
This marks another hurdle overcome in the global race to get eVTOLs up in the air.
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China’s EH216-S eVTOL made history in Africa
The flight took place in Kigali, Rwanda, and was witnessed by journalists from more than 50 countries, according to EHang.
The demonstration flight was undertaken during the 9th Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition.
On board the EH216-S were representatives of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA) and reporters from China Media Group.
At this point, it’s not clear if or when the EH216-S will be coming to Rwanda.
Instead, this flight was merely a way to give people a glimpse into what could be.
And it doesn’t hurt that this was a world first too – the first pilotless passenger-carrying eVTOL flight to take place in the whole continent of Africa.
The EH216-S is the first of its kind to secure full certification for passenger-carrying flights.
But don’t be fooled – this company isn’t resting on its laurels by any stretch.
It’s already working on a very ambitious project, in the form of a long-range version of its autonomous aircraft, which will take on cross-sea and cross-mountain journeys.
Watch this space.
What else is going on in the world of eVTOLs?
The world of eVTOLs is a fast-evolving one, so it’s no surprise that there are constantly ‘firsts’.
Just last month, an autonomous cargo eVTOL completed a world first of a 300km offshore journey.
This is the future, with major cities racing to make flying taxis a reality within the next few years.
It’s estimated that China could have 100,000 flying cars in the area by the end of the decade.
There’s a lot of exciting stuff coming along in the next few years.
The sky is the limit has a whole new meaning.The post China’s EH216-S eVTOL makes history with first pilotless passenger flight in Africa appeared first on Supercar Blondie.
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