China tests drones for goods delivery and taxi services: Video
Shanghai-based company VOLANT has begun the testing of its drones in the commercial capital, Shanghai.
The new technology is designed to serve as flying taxis as part of efforts to become the first “city in the sky”.
The drones are expected to deliver perishable goods and essential medicines as well as serve as an innovative form of transport particularly in cases where there are limitations with regular sea and air transport services.
Dong Ming, CEO of VOLANT which is responsible for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) said the air taxi service has six seats to accommodate four to five passengers and a pilot.
"I think eventually this is going to shape the whole economic pattern and society pattern. Just like cars, when cars are happening, you can see especially the city pattern has been widely spread, so then people’s daily living range has been significantly extended. So with this tool, with this vehicle (air taxi), this is going to happen again," he told AFP.
"Once the economic and safety and comfortable performance have been approved, this is going scale up very fast, maybe in the following two to three years, every city is going to see one of the Volants (the company’s aircraft) on the roofs," he added.
