首次公众面前坠机起火！飞行汽车到底安全吗？

Core Points - An accident involving two eVTOL aircraft occurred during a rehearsal for the Changchun Airshow, with one aircraft crashing and catching fire [2] - The eVTOLs involved are part of XPeng Huitian's flying car product line, which is still in the testing and certification phase [3][12] - The incident marks the first public crash of an eVTOL in China, as previous crashes were not disclosed to the public [2] Group 1: Incident Details - The accident was attributed to insufficient flight distance between the two aircraft, leading to contact during the maneuver [2] - One aircraft landed normally, while the other sustained damage and caught fire upon landing [2] - Safety of personnel on-site was confirmed, and relevant authorities managed the situation [2] Group 2: Company Background - Guangdong Huitian General Aviation, established in 2021, is fully owned by Shenzhen Huitian Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd., which is in turn fully owned by Guangdong Huitian Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. [3] - XPeng Huitian is responsible for the research, testing, and manufacturing of eVTOLs, while Huitian General Aviation operates them [6] Group 3: eVTOL Characteristics - The "land carrier" flying vehicle, showcased at the Zhuhai Airshow, is unique for being able to fit a plane in its trunk and is capable of both ground and aerial travel [7] - The crashed aircraft is a manned multi-rotor eVTOL, representing the flying component of the flying car [8] Group 4: Investigation and Certification - The investigation into the crash will consider factors such as wind conditions and pilot experience [9] - The eVTOLs are still undergoing testing for certification, which includes obtaining a type certificate (TC), production certificate (PC), and airworthiness certificate (AC) [10][12] - Currently, no manned eVTOL has received an airworthiness certificate, with only unmanned variants having achieved this status [12] Group 5: Regulatory Challenges - The certification process for eVTOLs is evolving, as existing standards for traditional aircraft do not fully apply [14] - The industry is learning from incidents like this to improve safety standards and pilot training requirements [14][15] - XPeng Huitian's flying vehicles support both automatic and manual driving modes, with a focus on safety and ease of use [15]