Multiple advanced electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and drones are on public display for the first time at the ongoing 2025 Aero Asia show in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, offering visitors a glimpse of future aerial transportation.
With the theme "A New Era: Explore More," the biennial show attracted more than 380 enterprises from 22 countries and regions.
In the indoor exhibition area, futuristic eVTOL aircraft take center stage.
German manufacturer Volocopter unveiled its eVTOL aircraft, the VoloCity. This all-electric flying taxi can take on urban air missions and has already earned Design Organisation Approval (DOA) from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
"This product, VoloCity, makes its debut in China here. It primarily addresses urban transportation issues, with a flying range of approximately 50 kilometers. Another product we offer solves intercity transportation issues, with a range exceeding 200 kilometers," said Li Yun, a representative from the company.
Another highlight is a six-seat large eVTOL aircraft. Developed by Chinese company Zero Gravity Aircraft Industry, the ZG-T6 six-seat tiltrotor eVTOL aircraft holds one pilot and five passengers.
Shi Hong, the company's representative, said its generous interior space will make the traveling experience more comfortable.
"This is the first public display of this aircraft. It is a six-seat tiltrotor eVTOL aircraft with six rotors. It has a design operational range of 300 kilometers and an endurance of 1.5 hours. Passengers in the cabin have access to large windows, allowing them to enjoy the scenery. The aircraft is spacious so that they won't feel too confined," said Shi.
Sichuan-based Chinese company Tengden wows the visitors with a large-scale drone with a fully modular fuselage. The design allows a rapid replacement of the fuselage to cater to diverse needs.
"This is the first time for the actual aircraft to make an appearance at the exhibition. It adopts a design concept of an integrated platform targeting multiple commercial scenarios. Replacing the fuselage module allows it to perform different tasks in different scenarios. For example, when performing cargo transportation, we use the cargo compartment; when performing emergency rescue, we use the emergency rescue compartment, which is integrated with electro-optical and emergency communication payloads. This allows the aircraft to have multiple capabilities, saving at least 50 percent of the usage costs," said Sun Yanyang, a representative from the company.
According to Sun, the drone has conducted cargo transportation and air-drop tests and will be delivered and put into use next year.
Running from Thursday to Sunday, the Aero Asia 2025 is co-organized by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and Zhuhai Airshow Group Co., Ltd.
Advanced eVTOL aircraft debut at Aero Asia 2025 in Zhuhai
