China approves drone-taxis

Let'sgoflying! said:
Should implement soon.
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They've been flying pax and cargo for quite some time. This is the 1st ad hoc commercial ops. While not a fan of the Ehang, there are 3 other Chinese eVTOL OEMs who are close as well and use a more conventional approach. Regardless, the place to watch is Dubai. For some reason they positioned themselves to be the 1st large city to have a dedicated, regularly scheduled, eVTOL based UAM system. Ehang has been there for about year and Joby/Archer have been involved as well.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Should implement soon.
Glad this will be perfected elsewhere, before they start here.

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Let'sgoflying! said:
Should implement soon.
Glad this will be perfected elsewhere, before they start here.

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i doubt we’ll see them here. For all their political faults, China has pretty much leapfrogged the US in technology during the last twenty years. I remember my sister visiting the UK in the 1970s and remarking that they seemed wedded to the Edwardian era. The US feels similarly schlerotic these days.
 
The reason, as I see it, they leapfrogged us is because thy used our intellectual property as we outsourced manufacturing. Did they develop an ahars themselves or steal it from someone who did?
 
Mikey52 said:
they leapfrogged us is because thy used our intellectual property
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Not really. NASA developed the electric propulsion concept that made current eVTOLs possible. The concept was further developed as part of various global public/private initiatives of which China was a participant same as a number of other countries. The main reason the US/EU eVTOL aircraft are lagging the Chinese is simply because the FAA and EASA went in different directions initially but are now on the same track which put them behind about 18-24 months. However, unless the China CAAC brings their eVTOL certification process more in line with ICAO guidance they will probably have the same issues globally with their TC'd eVTOLs as they do with their TC's aircraft on an international market scale.
 
Mikey52 said:
The reason, as I see it, they leapfrogged us is because thy used our intellectual property as we outsourced manufacturing. Did they develop an ahars themselves or steal it from someone who did?
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They have better batteries than we do. That's the key to making this sort of thing successful. How many people on this board poo-pooed such air taxis?
They've pretty much caught up to us in AI- they will surpass us in quantum computing soon. Yet here, we cut NSF grants for ALL research. The Chinese don't need to use our IP, they will just create their own.

Edit- NSF not NSA!!
 
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Let'sgoflying! said:
Glad this will be perfected elsewhere, before they start here.
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It is already started here. Joby and I believe at least one other have already developed and been approved for test flights, the UAV air traffic system has been in development for almost a decade.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
How do they handle atc conflicts, and I presume they use sensors to avoid cables, antennae and whatnot?
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GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS and digital charting for some of it. The probably use something like ADS-B so everyone knows where the other aircraft are and where they are going.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
How do they handle atc conflicts, and I presume they use sensors to avoid cables, antennae and whatnot?
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No clue how things work in China. But here, the FAA included UAM in NextGen plans so both eVTOLs and UAVs have their own routes, rules, surveillance, etc. within the NAS. And eVTOLs will be managed via ADSB. The EASA has a similar system in place as well.

Cap'n Jack said:
That's the key to making this sort of thing successful.
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Definitely. This is why both Joby and Archer designed and built their own battery packs.
 
GeorgeC said:
Werner von Braun must be spinning in his grave.
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Why so? I think if Werner is rolling in his grave is because SpaceX will be the 1st Mars. Regardless, NASA has been at the pointy end for development of new aircraft modes for a lot longer than their space exploits.
 
The average Chinese person is maybe 40-70kg (my wife is 48kg) whereas the average fat-burger.... I mean American is gonna be 2-3-5x that.

So yeah, with current battery technology flinging a few Asian dudes around is nothing. Once they get battery tech up to 'American' size then it will solve a problem. Most Chinese people can't afford taxi fare (that or they refuse to pay more than the 4-6RMB to ride the bus) so they number or folks that will pay the premium is going to be quite low.
 
pfarber said:
The average Chinese person is maybe 40-70kg (my wife is 48kg) whereas the average fat-burger.... I mean American is gonna be 2-3-5x that.

So yeah, with current battery technology flinging a few Asian dudes around is nothing. Once they get battery tech up to 'American' size then it will solve a problem. Most Chinese people can't afford taxi fare (that or they refuse to pay more than the 4-6RMB to ride the bus) so they number or folks that will pay the premium is going to be quite low.
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My experience is a bit different, possibly because of the people I know or work with, and where I work. We commonly use taxis, or they drive me in a car. This includes the service staff, who aren't paid as well as sales. We will also use those shared bicycles if the trip isn't too long. In another thread, I posted an image of people selling vegetables on the roadside. That was taken from a friend's car- she runs a small business and is far from rich. As in the USA, most people live in urban areas and so there is a range of wealth, just like over here. The subways are very good too, inexpensive, and just like here, are often faster than surface traffic. It is like moving around NYC.

Who says that they are using "current battery technology"? I don't recall the article explaining what battery they are using.
 
172andyou said:
Easy to quip as a throw-away line. But fact is, life expectancy in China is slightly higher than the US.
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I've read that too, recently.
Bob Noel said:
and the mainland china govt really really cares about the people

Yup
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As life expectance is based on a number of things ranging from genetics and personal life choices to things that a society chooses, such as clean air, how do you explain them having a higher life expectancy?

I'd say the USA government cares about as much as the mainland Chinese government.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
I've read that too, recently.
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Yep, just in the past couple years.

Cap'n Jack said:
As life expectance is based on a number of things ranging from genetics and personal life choices to things that a society chooses, such as clean air, how do you explain them having a higher life expectancy?

I'd say the USA government cares about as much as the mainland Chinese government.
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Yeah, I bet you're right. The areas the different governments prioritize are clearly different, and can't really be seriously discussed without getting the thread closed, but I bet you're right that on the whole the amount of caring is roughly the same.
 
172andyou said:
Easy to quip as a throw-away line. But fact is, life expectancy in China is slightly higher than the US.
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Except for the Uyghurs, Falun Gong, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and Tajiks in over 1000 internment camps.
 
Domenick said:
Except for the Uyghurs, Falun Gong, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and Tajiks in over 1000 internment camps.
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Yep. Except that. And except the many, many ways the american government mistreats people that I already refused to delve into so we could avoid getting the thread closed. :)
 
Domenick said:
Falun Gong
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They are telemarketers and the USA should do the same to telemarketers here. Especially around elections.
Whatever their other attributes, my colleagues and friends there know them for telemarketing above all else.
 
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Cap'n Jack said:
They are telemarketers and the USA should do the same to telemarketers here. Especially around elections.
Whatever their other attributes, my colleagues and friends there know them for telemarketing above all else.
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Whatever.
Their performance group, Shen Yun, put on a GREAT show! If they come to your area don't miss it. I've never had a call from them, though I do get a brochure in the mail every year.
www.shenyunperformingarts.org

Official Company Site

Shen Yun is the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Established in New York in 2006, it presents China before communism, celebrating 5,000 years of civilization.
www.shenyunperformingarts.org www.shenyunperformingarts.org
 
Domenick said:
Whatever.
Their performance group, Shen Yun, put on a GREAT show! If they come to your area don't miss it. I've never had a call from them, though I do get a brochure in the mail every year.
www.shenyunperformingarts.org

Official Company Site

Shen Yun is the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Established in New York in 2006, it presents China before communism, celebrating 5,000 years of civilization.
www.shenyunperformingarts.org www.shenyunperformingarts.org
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It's a great show, but the Chinese history they present is a bit different from reality. Chinese stories, such as "Journey to the West"- done fine. I'd expect anti-communist routines, too.
I doubt you, or any one else here, would get a telemarketing call, but they are known for it in China.
 
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