On Tuesday, Shenzhen’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the successful completion of a trial flight for a locally-developed eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) craft, which traveled from Shenzhen Shekou port to Zhuhai Jiuzhou port in southern China. The demonstration flight took 20 minutes, compared to a one-way travel time of 2.5 hours by car, and used Fengfei Aviation Technology’s self-developed aircraft named Shengshilong. The Shengshilong model boasts a maximum takeoff weight of 2,000 kilograms, a payload capacity of 400 kilograms, and a maximum range of 250 kilometers, according to the Shenzhen MIIT’s announcement. With a max speed of 200 kilometers per hour, the craft can accommodate up to five passengers. Compared to helicopters, eVTOLs have advantages such as enhanced safety, reduced passenger costs, lower maintenance expenses, reduced noise levels, and elevated levels of intelligence, positioning them as a potentially crucial segment in the future urban air transportation industry. No details regarding any possible commercial operation of the route were announced. [Shenzhen MIIT, in Chinese]
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