Tue, Nov 30, 2021
Unmanned eVTOL Taxi Shows Off Tourism Capabilities in Bali
EHang's 216 autonomous electric vehicle completed an aerial sightseeing demonstration at the tourist favorite of Bali, Indonesia working alongside local partner Prestige Aviation.
During a 5-minute unmanned flight at Villa Blackstone Beach, VIP guests saw the aircraft take off and hover amidst the beautiful backdrop before returning to earth on the painted landing target. Guests from Indonesia's directorate of civil aviation, industry authorities, and other VIPs preceded the momentous flight by speeches and photos.
The aircraft differs from similar AAM systems in its autonomous operation, placing its trust in its navigation software in order to free up another passenger seat. The test unit was granted a Special Certificate of Airworthiness, making it the first time the country had allowed a passenger-grade AAV to take flight.
Bambang Soesatyo, Chairman of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly, said, “We are entering a new chapter of transportation. As a modern transportation solution, EHang 216 will change our lifestyle in the future.”
Rudy Salim, Founder of Prestige Corp saw the occasion as an important milestone in the nascent industry's development. “Prestige Aviation aspires to be the pioneer to provide smart city innovations with digital-based transport implementation. As an AAV, EHang 216 can become an effective, affordable mobility and efficient solution for Indonesian air mobility,"
“The successful flight demo fully showcased EHang 216’s potential for efficient island hopping and air transportation. We are pleased to join hands with Indonesian local partners to bring our leading AAVs and UAM solutions to Indonesia, one of the most promising UAM markets in Southeast Asia," said Hu Huazhi, CEO of EHang. "Our global network of renowned and reliable partners continues to expand, and we believe this is a significant step for our sustainable, consistent success. We look forward to long-term business development prospects in Indonesia.”
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