On the afternoon of February 27th, a five-seater and composite-wing Prosperity electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) manned aircraft made its first flight in Zhuhai. This marks the world's first public flight of an eVTOL aircraft on a cross-sea and inter-city route, which connects Zhuhai and Shenzhen, two core cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), with a round-trip flight of more than 100 kilometers.

The eVTOL aircraft, often referred to as "air taxi",does not require traditional airports or runways. Similar to helicopters, it takes off vertically and transitions into a fixed-wing flight mode in the air for high-speed cruise, and passengers can make an appointment through the mobile phone platform. In the future, the GBA will see the establishment of hundreds of eVTOL air routes and thousands of vertiports. This electric-powered, environmentally friendly, safe and comfortable eVTOL manned aircraft will also become a new choice and fashion for citizens to travel in the city and between cities, accelerating the realization of a "one-hour life circle" within the GBA.

It is reported that the "Prosperity" aircraft on the first flightthis timecan carry 5 people, its core module is 100% localized, and its cruising speed can reach 200 kilometers per hour. In 2023, it set a global distance record of flying 250.3 kilometers for a 2-ton eVTOL on a single battery charge, and successfully executed the world's first formation flight of three full-scale eVTOL aircraft, featuring multiple aircraft, multiple units, same airspace and full conversion above tonnage.

The "low-altitude economy" is a new comprehensive economic form based on low-altitude airspace, dominated by the general aviation industry, and various manned and unmanned aerial vehicles as the carriers.

As the core city of the GBA, Zhuhai has the natural advantage of developing a "low-altitude economy",since it is located in the hinterland of the Pearl River Delta and adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao, providing a broad flight space and rich and diversified application scenarios for low-altitude aircraft. At the same time, the successful holding of the AERO ASIA Show has led Zhuhai to usher in a new era of "Double Air Show",as the Airshow China and the AERO ASIA Show have become important platforms and links for the low-altitude economic development of China and even the world.

Source:Yangcheng Evening News

全球首条“空中的士”跨海跨城航线公开首飞

2月27日下午，一架盛世龙5座复合翼eVTOL载人航空器在珠海首飞。这是全球首条跨海跨城eVTOL电动垂直起降航空器航线的公开首飞，该航线连接珠海、深圳两座粤港澳大湾区核心城市，往返飞行超过100公里。

被称为“空中的士”的eVTOL电动垂直起降航空器，无需传统机场和跑道，像直升机一样垂直起飞，在空中转换成固定翼飞行模式高速巡航，并可通过手机平台一键预约乘坐。未来，粤港澳大湾区将开设数百条eVTOL航线和上千个起降点，电动环保、安全舒适的eVTOL载人航空器也将成为市民在城市内以及城际间的出行新选择、新时尚，加速打造粤港澳大湾区“1小时生活圈”。

据悉，本次执行首飞的“盛世龙”可搭载5人，核心模组100%国产化，巡航速度可达每小时200公里。2023年，“盛世龙”创造了2吨级eVTOL单次充电飞行250.3公里的全球航程纪录，并实现了全球首次吨级以上eVTOL多架机、多机组、同空域、全转换的全尺寸验证机三机编队飞行任务。

“低空经济”是以低空空域为依托，以通用航空产业为主导，以各种有人驾驶和无人驾驶航空器为载体，融合发展出的综合性经济新形态。

作为粤港澳大湾区核心城市，珠海具有发展“低空经济”的天然优势，地处珠三角腹地、毗邻港澳的区位特点，为低空航空器提供了广阔的飞行空间和丰富且多元化的应用场景。同时，随着亚洲通航展的成功举办，珠海也迎来了“双航展”新时代，中国航展、亚洲通航展已成为中国乃至全球低空经济发展的重要平台和纽带。

文｜记者 钱瑜
图｜受访者提供
翻译｜史洋溢