As of the close of the US stock market, Yihang Intelligence rose 0.85%, and rose nearly 30% during the trading session. On March 18th, the world's first domestically developed "Air Taxi" Yihang EH216-S unmanned manned aircraft, which has obtained airworthiness certification, was launched on Taobao Industrial Products with a price tag of 2.39 million yuan.
Opening the Yihang Intelligent Enterprise Store, the current number of followers has reached 10400. Previously, two eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft) models were launched in the store, with Yihang Intelligent EH216-S priced at 2.39 million yuan and having two seats. It is reported that the product will receive the model certificate officially issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China in 2023, becoming the world's first manned unmanned electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to obtain the model certificate.
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The store also launched the Yihang Intelligent VT-30, which is priced at 9999999 million yuan. The VT-30 adopts a composite wing design, with a designed range of 300 kilometers and a designed range of 100 minutes. However, as of the time of the reporter's press release, the VT-30 product has been taken off the shelves.
On the afternoon of March 18th, a reporter from the Daily Economic News interviewed He Tianxing, Vice President of Yihang Intelligence, via WeChat phone. Regarding the online sales of the world's first unmanned "aerial taxi", He Tianxing said, "Many people are asking, is Yihang not yet targeting the C-end? It is targeting the B-end? In fact, our ultimate goal is to provide new low altitude travel services for every ordinary citizen. On a national level platform like Taobao, we hope to popularize the value of future low altitude economy to consumers.". Let everyone know and understand the future development and application of unmanned aerial vehicles
He Tianxing said, "In the past few years, Yihang Intelligence has completed the delivery of over 200 orders. This time, the online sales of 'air taxis' are because Taobao is a national level consumer platform. Through online sales, more people can understand and see (eVTOL), and more people will like this new way of life. Only then will more people choose it as a new mode of transportation in the future."
"Secondly, currently we are the only manufacturer in the world that has obtained a manned (eVTOL) airworthiness certificate, and we have products with commercial operation qualifications. Therefore, we have listed them on the platform for both science popularization and sales. Other manufacturers have not yet obtained the certificate, and (temporarily) we can't do it," said He Tianxing.
The so-called "certification" refers to obtaining an airworthiness certificate through airworthiness certification, which is a prerequisite for commercialization. "Actually, everyone is developing, and we are the first to complete airworthiness certification," He Tianxing said.
What are the advantages of eVTOL compared to helicopters? He Tianxing believes that the main advantages are safety, convenient takeoff and landing, green environmental protection, and unmanned driving.
He Tianxing told reporters, "Firstly, our eVTOL adopts the design concept of 'multiple backups' in its core key components. In the event of any component failure during flight, other backups will be used to replace it and restore it to normal flight conditions. The backup includes the propeller, motor, flight control, and battery, and all core components have been backed up.". Secondly, traditional helicopters have a single engine rotor, which basically loses kinetic energy when one rotor is damaged and falls off. And now we have 16 propellers, and we also have backup flight control. We have three sets of flight controls, and one set can manage the aircraft. Using three sets of flight control to manage the aircraft, even if one flight control has a problem, other flight controls can be replaced normally and then resume flight
In addition, He Tianxing also mentioned takeoff and landing. Due to its small size, takeoff and landing are also relatively convenient. In the future, some buildings and a playground can take off and land. Moreover, its eVTOL can be charged using a 380V charging station, which is more convenient than refueling a helicopter.
In addition, traditional helicopters have higher noise levels, while eVTOL is electric and has smaller propellers. "It's just like an electric fan, the small fan has a lower sound, while the big fan has a higher sound," He Tianxing said.
At present, eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Vehicle) manufacturers mainly have three technical routes: multi rotor, composite wing, and tiltrotor. The research and development difficulty of the three increases in order, and their performance in endurance, load capacity, and other aspects varies.
Currently, Yihang Intelligence's main revenue still comes from the EH216 series. According to the financial report, in 2023, Yihang Intelligence achieved a revenue of 117 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 164.97%; Realized a net profit attributable to the parent company of -302 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 8.08%. During the reporting period, Yihang Intelligence delivered a total of 52 EH216 series products, showing a significant increase from 21 in 2022.
Daily Economic News Comprehensive Daily Economic News (Reporter: Zhu Chengxiang, Wang Fan)
