EHang “Island Hops” Across Japan
Continuing with the Japanese eVTOL theme (please read the SLT article) and with the Osaka Expo less than two years away, it is no surprise to hear that EHang is active and busy in the country.
After the company was inducted as a member of Japan’s ‘Public-Private Committee for Advanced Air Mobility’ back in April, last week EHang and one of its AAVs was “island hopping” across the country, claiming this is the first time any eVTOL has achieved such a novel feat.
Several company social media posts explained the flight trial saw an EHang 216 passenger AAV fly two kilometres between Iheya Island and Noho Island in the Okinawa Prefecture. These are small, remote islands north of the main island of Okinawa, connected to each other by a narrow land bridge.
EHang’s partners for the Okinawa demonstration were four Japanese firms: Airport Facilities Co., AirX, CTI Engineering and Japan Airport Consultants.
Takeya Hirano, General Manager of the Planning and Development Department of Japan Airport Consultants, remarked, “The aircraft does not require a large landing facility like a helicopter. This is a revolution in air transportation. And why I am promoting the innovation of aerial tourism in the near future.”
Recent EHang Tweets
It is with great certainty that EHang will be flying at the Osaka Expo alongside companies like Skydrive and, hopefully, Joby Aviation and others. So, onward to the “full 100”.*
*This refers to EHang’s full certification process with the CAAC at being over 90 percent of the way. Less than 10 percent to go then!
For more information
https://www.ehang.com/ehangaav/
(Top image: EHang)
