China approves the world’s first flying taxi

Anyone keen to view from on high the sprawling cityscapes of Guangdong, a bustling province in southern China, may soon be able to do so from the cabin of a flying taxi. On October 13th the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) awarded a “type certificate”, a crucial piece of aviation paperwork, to the world’s first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) taxi. And in case that does not sound futuristic enough, the small two-seater, called the EH216-S, was also cleared to fly without a pilot on board.

The EH216-S is made by EHang, a company based in Guangdong. It resembles a scaled-up consumer drone with a passenger bubble mounted on top. Propulsion is provided by 16 small rotors, mounted on the tips of eight arms that fold away when the vehicle is not in use, allowing it to park in small spaces.