Aerial vehicle manufacturer EHang has obtained the necessary permissions to begin using its VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing vehicle) in cities. Interested businesses should probably put aside 2.39 million Yuan (roughly 337,000 USD) for the sales start on April 1, 2024, New Atlas reports.
The full name of the octocopter is EHang EH 216-S. It originally debuted at the CES show in Las Vegas in 2016. It relies on eight pairs of rotors for propulsion and takes two people on board. The peak airborne speed is capped at 130 km/h (80 mph), and the maximum distance per flight is 30 km (18.6 miles). This means that even in cities, the applications for this kind of transports may be limited.
EHang finished the certification process in 2022, negotiating with the authorities of China and some other countries in advance to allow using the EH 216-S for fully autonomous flights. By late 2021, the company had completed over 23,000 test flights.