China gives eVTOL maker greenlight to take off: The Civil Aviation Administration of China has granted Chinese firm XPeng Inc’s electric take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft a special flight permit for flying tests, according to a statement. The permit allows the evTOL to fly under special conditions as part of a series of manned flying tests to gather data for future mass production. A prototype of the aircraft was unveiled during the Gitex tech show last October (watch runtime: 1:33).

SOUND SMART- eVTOLS are drone-like aircraft that use electric propulsion and large omnidirectional fans to allow them to takeoff vertically and to act like air taxis. They are meant to be energy efficient, quiet, environmentally friendly, and eventually pilotless. Beyond their applications as air taxis, the vehicles are expected to be able to operate on an inter-city basis and even be used for cargo shipping.

The air mobility industry is getting attention in the region: Saudi Arabia’s Neom recently invested USD 175 mn in German electric eVTOL vehicle maker Volocopter, as part of a partnership that will see the two roll out an “advanced air mobility industry” in KSA. KSA’s national flag carrier Saudia also recently signed an agreement with Lilium to purchase 100 electric jets, while UAE-based charter flight operator Falcon Aviation Services is buying up to 35 flying taxis from electric aircraft company Eve Holding, with deliveries expected to start in 2026.

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