Urban air mobility pioneers EHang (Nasdaq:EH) have partnered with LN Holdings, a tourism platform and hotel development group, to create the world’s first passenger drone hotel. Guests may have the opportunity to travel by EHang’s iconic passenger drone for both transport and aerial tourism at the new hotel.
The passenger drone hotel is a brilliant way to showcase automated aviation vehicles (AAV) and urban air mobility (UAM) technology. Tourists visiting Guangzhou will be able to travel around city landmarks such as the Canton Tower, Beijing Road and the Pearl River from the air. The partnership plans to offer not only new opportunities to experience the scenic city of Guangzhou but also to include educational and entertainment opportunities like drone light shows.
“The program will promote the innovative integration of aerial sightseeing, traveler transportation, air logistics, aerial media light shows, intelligent exhibitions and education,” says the EHang press release. “It will also promote the new experience of air tourism and explore other commercial use cases for EHang AAVs.”
The first passenger drone hotel will be the LN Garden Hotel in Nansha, a coastal district in Guangzhou. The hotel follows on an agreement between EHang and the Chinese government to establish Guangzhou as “China’s first and the world’s leading UAM smart city.” Hu Huazhi, Founder, Chairman and CEO of EHang, said, “We are excited to establish a comprehensive and long-term strategic partnership with LN Holdings. Helping to build Guangzhou into a global air mobility pilot city is a milestone for us, and further promotes the commercialization of the UAM ecosystem. Guests of LN Garden Hotel will experience our one-stop intelligent AAV services, including the unique aerial sightseeing, convenient and autonomous air deliveries and high-tech aerial light shows.”
Liang Lingfeng, General Manager of LN Group and Chairman of LN Holdings, commented, “We own a broad chain of resources in the tourism industry, covering travel, brand hotels, conventions, exhibitions and scenic attractions. By leveraging our controlling shareholder LN Group’s ability to integrate its resources in consumer sector, cooperating with EHang could generate incremental products and services. We can fulfill customers’ travel demands in the air and on the ground by combining intelligent technology with the tourist experience. Eventually, we will provide new products and services across different sectors, business categories and regions in the country.”
“As other cutting-edge technologies such as 5G networks develop, AAV technology will gradually realize a market potential in the trillions of dollars,” says the EHang press release. “According to Morgan Stanley, the global UAM market should reach $1.5 trillion by 2040. The China market shows strong potential of $431 billion, accounting for almost 30% of the global UAM market.”
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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