Since the beginning of this year, the low altitude economy has received much attention from the capital market. Earlier this month, Yihang Intelligence announced that it had obtained the Production Certificate (PC) for the EH216-S unmanned manned aircraft system issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. This is the first production license in the global eVTOL industry, marking EH216-S's entry into the stage of large-scale production and providing important guarantees for the next step of commercial operation.
During the 4th China International Consumer Goods Expo (hereinafter referred to as the "Consumer Expo") held from April 13th to 18th, Yihang Intelligence also showcased the EH216-S unmanned manned aircraft, which attracted widespread attention.
Regarding the development of low altitude economic industries and the company's future plans, a Caixin reporter interviewed He Tianxing, Vice President of Yihang Intelligence, in the Yihang Intelligent Exhibition Area.
Caixin News Agency: Currently, the capital market is very concerned about the low altitude economy. According to your observation, what stage is the current development still in?
He Tianxing: We are currently in the stage of development and growth from the beginning. Most domestic complete machine manufacturing enterprises are still in the early stages of research and development and test flights, and will need to go through a large number of test flights and airworthiness certification processes in the later stage. Entering the commercialization process still requires a certain period of time. Yihang has taken the lead in obtaining the three major airworthiness passes issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, namely model qualification certificate, production license, and standard airworthiness certificate. It has the qualifications for comprehensive commercialization and will contribute valuable experience to the development of commercial operation and application scenarios in the industry. Next, we will continuously expand our application scenarios, implement model construction of low altitude economic application scenarios in key regions and important cities, accumulate more commercial operation experience, gradually achieve the popularization of normalized urban low altitude transportation services, and ultimately achieve industry inclusiveness of low altitude economy.
In the next 3-5 years, the low altitude economy will definitely move from the science popularization stage to the popularization stage. There will be more and more low altitude application scenarios, and there will be more and more model cities for low altitude flight. We believe that more people will experience the normalized low altitude transportation commuting. EVTOL will become an important tool for effectively and efficiently supplementing transportation, and will also become a new choice for mass consumption.
Caixin News Agency: What are the benefits of participating in the Consumer Expo for Yihang Intelligence?
He Tianxing: I think the biggest gain is to let everyone understand what low altitude economy and unmanned driving are, and how this industry will change people's lives and consumption scenarios in the future. In fact, when it comes to low altitude economy, the public often first thinks of aircraft, but cannot imagine what this industry serves or consumes.
The core value of the future low altitude economy must still be consumer value, which is what kind of life changes the low altitude industry can bring to the people, what kind of life services it can provide to everyone, how to save costs and improve efficiency. These are all issues that need to be considered. The core value is still returning to consumption, so it is in line with the Consumer Expo and the low altitude economy industry.
Yihang is developing unmanned manned aircraft with the aim of creating an "aerial taxi" to solve the current urban traffic problems and save a lot of time and money costs for the entire society. The company is expected to launch formal commercial operations in cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hefei this year, and related infrastructure such as charging aprons will also be put into use.
Caixin News Agency: Does Yihang Intelligence have any plans to layout or invest in Hainan? In which regions will we expand or conduct business in the future?
He Tianxing: In the next 1-2 years, Yihang Intelligence will focus on low altitude tourism, urban tourism, and transportation connections on some fixed routes, and carry out low altitude application scenario layout. At the same time, it will also start project landing around Hainan's unique cultural and tourism scenes, including low altitude tourism, urban tourism (island tourism, coastline tourism), and the construction of low altitude transportation lines around the island, to create a demonstration model city for the low altitude economic industry nationwide.
Caixin News Agency: Does Yihang Intelligence currently have exports? Which countries have been exported?
He Tianxing: Currently, our company's products have been exported to more than ten countries, including Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and Brazil.
Caixin News Agency: According to your observation, which regions or cities will be the first to achieve low altitude manned flights?
He Tianxing: Currently, the company is promoting policies and various aspects in areas such as the Greater Bay Area and the Yangtze River Delta. For example, in the Greater Bay Area, the speed of promoting low altitude economy and the entire industry is faster than in other places, and the priority of implementing industrial forms must be given to policy promotion. In terms of specific cities, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hefei, and Wuhan are expected to become the first tier cities to achieve low altitude manned flights.
As a new field, the large-scale application of eVTOL in cities requires a sound low altitude supervision and service guarantee system, infrastructure to meet the takeoff, landing, and charging of eVTOL aircraft, as well as necessary policy support from relevant regulatory agencies. It cannot be achieved without the joint efforts of multiple parties. For example, whether the ground infrastructure is complete and whether the digital management network platform for low altitude airspace is sound are all aspects that we need to consider in our layout.
Caixin News Agency: What are the current problems facing the development of low altitude economic industries?
He Tianxing: Firstly, the infrastructure construction for the development of low altitude economy still needs to be improved, including the infrastructure of urban ground flight takeoff and landing areas, charging equipment, terminal buildings, and consumer functional areas, as well as the new infrastructure of low altitude digital management network, to ensure the orderly and safe flight of more aircraft in the sky at the same time in the future. The second is to increase the intensity of industry policy sinking, and introduce more detailed and standardized policies in flight airspace approval, aircraft flight supervision, low altitude economic legislation and law enforcement, ground infrastructure land planning, etc., continuously expanding and increasing the creation of application scenarios. Thirdly, we will increase the cultivation of professional talents, including technical, operational, and service talents. At the same time, we will increase industry science popularization and promote low altitude education, so that more people can understand and recognize the positive value of the consumption low altitude economy.