GAC Group’s GOVE Flying Car Receives Special Flight Permit from CAAC
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- GAC Group’s innovative flying car model, GOVE, achieved a significant milestone on September 11 as it was granted a special flight permit by the CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) Central and Southern Regional Administration. This development signals GOVE’s advancement in airworthiness certification and commercialization, as announced on GAC Group’s official WeChat account.
Photo credit: GAC Group
The approval process for GOVE adhered to the Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Airworthiness Certification Management Procedure (AP-21-AA-2022-71), a comprehensive guideline that governs the design, production, and airworthiness evaluation for medium and large-scale civil unmanned aerial systems.
GOVE successfully completed a series of rigorous tests, encompassing power system endurance, multi-power testing, iron bird tests, static load testing, tethered flight trials, hover tests, chassis takeoff trials, and performance validation. With the special flight permit secured, GAC’s flying car team is committed to achieving safe manned flight as a primary objective. The team is dedicated to driving technological advancements, enhancing engineering feasibility, and accumulating data and experience for mass production, testing, and certification to expedite product commercialization.
Photo credit: GAC Group
GOVE, developed by GAC R&D Center, is an all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) multi-rotor vehicle. As the industry’s first amphibious air-land configuration, it offers versatility in ground driving, aerial flight, and ground-to-air docking scenarios. Its potential applications range from emergency rescue operations and aerial inspections to tourism and short-distance commuting.
Having completed its global maiden flight in June 2023 during the GAC TECH DAY 2023, GOVE also showcased a flight demonstration in Guangzhou’s CBD earlier this year in March. GAC R&D Center is currently working on an advanced flying car with a hybrid-wing design, enabling longer-range and higher-capacity flights of up to 150 km to meet the intercity travel requirements of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The ultimate objective is to facilitate efficient and safe travel across the region within a 40-minute timeframe.
Furthermore, GAC Group is actively exploring commercial models for urban aerial transportation. By 2027, the company plans to introduce a flying car demonstration operation scheme that integrates “multi-point hubs, ground transportation, and air travel” in two to three cities within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, offering a fully integrated mobility service chain.
