Commercial 'air commute' by flying cars closer to takeoff

Sightseeing, tourism

Bolstered by policies and technological breakthroughs, some regions are rapidly exploring large-scale introduction of flying vehicles.

In Hangzhou, Zhejiang, the West Lake sightseeing route began trial operations in September, with bookings in the first month exceeding 5,000, and rides priced at 680 yuan per seat.

In Chengdu, business commuter routes and "low-altitude tourism" models are being tested.

"The flight from Dujiangyan to Qingcheng Mountain takes only 8 minutes, and in 2025, it is expected to serve over 100,000 tourists," said Zhou Ting, manager of Sichuan Airlines' low-altitude operations.

With Chengdu as one of the nodes, Sichuan has been accelerating reforms in recent years to pilot a coordinated low-altitude airspace management program.

Among other things, it has introduced a "file one hour before takeoff" model and is the first province to establish a provincial-level operating service platform for low-altitude airspace. In an 80,000-square-kilometer trial area, aircraft can take off immediately upon filing.

Sichuan has also built 20 general aviation airports, 17 civil transport airports and 327 temporary takeoff and landing sites. It has opened nearly 200 routes for passenger and cargo general aviation, drone logistics and low-altitude sightseeing.

The province also hosts 82 national and provincial innovation platforms in low-altitude fields, more than 500 low-altitude economy enterprises, and over 40 major projects each worth more than 100 million yuan.

In early November, Sichuan unveiled an institute of low-altitude economy to map the sector's further development in the province.

Wang Xiangyang, director of the Low-Altitude Economy Research Institute of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, or AVIC, said: "China's advantage lies in policy coordination and scenario diversity."

Driven by policy and market demand, the low-altitude economy market is experiencing explosive growth.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China forecasts the market size will reach 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025, and could rise to 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.

The financial prospects have attracted many players. In December 2024, Chinese automaker GAC Group unveiled its flying car brand, GOVY, saying that it plans to establish production lines in late 2025.

GOVY AirJet, a composite-wing flying car, combines the advantages of fixed-wing efficiency and the vertical takeoff flexibility of multi-rotor systems.

Designed with over 90 percent carbon fiber composite materials, its lightweight structure ensures durability and high performance.

Powered by GAC's proprietary electric drive system, the AirJet achieves a top speed of 250 km/h and a range of over 200 km, with rapid recharging in just 30 minutes.

Future models may extend ranges to 400 km with solid-state battery technology, said the company.

The AirJet finished its maiden flight in July. By 2027, GOVY aims to pilot demonstration operations in two to three cities within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, further refining its service model and operational infrastructure.

Another car manufacturer, Changan, announced a strategic cooperation agreement with EHang Holdings Limited to advance flying car development, manufacturing, sales, and operations, with their joint investment to reach 20 billion yuan in five years.

Zhu Huarong, chairman of Changan, said: "Cooperation in the development of flying cars is of great significance, allowing both parties to leverage their respective strengths."

EHang, headquartered in Guangdong, is a global leader in the urban air mobility segment. Changan said it expects to finish its first flying car test flight this year.

"Over the next five years, Changan plans to invest more than 20 billion yuan in the low-altitude economy sector to accelerate the development of the flying car industry," said Zhu.

"Over the next decade, we will invest more than 100 billion yuan to explore integrated mobility solutions across land, sea and air," he said.

Zhang Jing, director of Changan's low-altitude transport division, said the company's autonomous flight control platform can manage six eVTOLs at the same time.

It is working with Chongqing University to develop lightweight materials, which will enable its flying car's range to reach 220 km, said Zhang.