Malaysia’s first flying vehicle prototype – which is set to take flight this Thursday – has been identified, and it’s not the Vector that is being developed by local company Aerodyne Group. Emerging information from news reports has revealed the unit to be foreign-made, in this case the EHang 216, a passenger drone made by Chinese company Beijing Yi-Hang Creation Science & Technology Co.
As Berita Harian reports, the vehicle, which will be known as the Super Dron locally, is a joint venture project between local company EastCap and two Chinese companies, EHang Intelligent Equipment (Guangzhou) and Strong Rich Holdings. The strategic partnership will handle the marketing, operation and maintenance of the Super Dron in the country.
Earlier this week, it was reported that entrepreneur development minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof is set to ride alongside the pilot when the vehicle takes its maiden flight in Subang on Thursday.
The EHang 216 is a passenger drone with eight arms, each mounting two electric motors that are connected to propellers, making for 16 rotors in all. The 360 kg unit features an aero-cab structure capable of accomodating two passengers, with payload rated at 260 kg. Performance figures off the Internet reveal a cruising speed of 130 km/h and a flight range of around 35 km for the drone.
The BH report adds that EastCap, which is helmed by Datuk Seri Zakwanhafiz Ahmad Ansari, who is the MD and CEO, is also involved in the plantation industry, especially in guarana crop development. Back in August, the company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Rumah Koperasi Indonesia (RKI) for the latter to purchase 1,000 units of the Super Dron for use primarily in the agricultural sector as a plantation mapping tool and as a crop sprayer.
The company has also previously stated that the introduction of the Super Dron in the country was not meant as an avenue for public transportation, but for applications such as border monitoring by authorities and as an emergency aid vehicle. EastCap has also said it aims to build a super drone assembly facility in Malaysia with a production capacity of 10,000 units a year.
Last month, Redzuan said that a second flying vehicle is in the works, and this would utilise different technologies from the first one. He added that the vehicle is expected to perform its inaugural flight in the third quarter of 2020.
This could likely be the Vector, a drone-based, point-to-point air mobility solution being developed by Malaysian company Aerodyne Group in collaboration with a Japanese partner. The Vector will reportedly be powered by four motors and a lithium-ion battery. Weighing in at 600 kg, and with a payload capacity of up to 200 kg, the vehicle is capable of flying about 50 metres above ground level at 60 km/h, and will offer from 30 up to 90 minutes of flight time.
GALLERY: EHang 216 passenger drone
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
This will promote Tourism Industry, flying to nearby Island.
It sounds safer this way as a kick start.
Safer? Passengers should stay in their seats until the blades fully stopped or else become mince-meat. A helicopter is more practical.
Very true. It’s a good use for tourism but they have to fix that 35 km range.
This car got airbags or not? After cut funding yo TAR, at least put 2 driver air bags can?
Tourist will need helicopter lesen. International drivers lesen is not enuff.
Wasting of time and money. Shall give funding to TARUC, the student can invent a better and real flying car. Not the Layang as shown.
When was the last time tar students invent things?
You call rebranding other people’s engineering work invention?
You sure you are the professor there. Why asking dumb questiin
Well the last significant invention was called DAP. Look at how it took off thanks to TARC.
This transformed the palm oil plantation too. Do the 3D work of 500 plantation workers , definitely a game changer. Kudos syabas MY !
Ohhhhh….ooppppssss…chinese made??? Muahahahaha. So not mesia made??? Mesia 1st flying car is a “china made”… mesia ambik nama saja? Aduhhh bila la nak maju?
mesia made … super drone assembly facility in Malaysia with a production capacity of 10,000 units a year.
More like mesia assemble only. Parts all from china. Other word, rebadge…again.
When we have jokers who are proud about continuous rebadging for 25 years, there is no pride in doing it our own.
thats shows mesia still a “blue-collar” nation and brainless.. proud?!!
the most basic IT skill required in today job market are Coding and Excel vba… Primary schoolkids in kemboja and indon alredi learned these skill sets..
But our local grads still struggling, stuck with “advanced” IT skill in fesbuk, insta dan tiktok .. no diffren from their bibiks kemboja and indon who helped to clean up their bilik. And we hvnt spoke abt engrish competency and soft skills yet , cermin la adui.
Wait I don’t understand. Why is it people like to bash local companies learning and trying to create and innovate with some help? We are a young country ffs. “Bila Malaysia nak maju”, when you say Malaysia, are you not a part of that too? If you’re not helping to create, then you’re a part of the “problem“. I work in the drone industry, and this achievement is still world class nonetheless. I’m sure they’re all still learning and finding a way to innovate. I can imagine the amount of hard work put into the R&D from Malaysia side.
What R&D when you can alrdy buy this from China?
U called that a flying car? I mean a flying “car”???? Arent suppose to be flying car should have wheels since its a flying “car”! Owh it just a drone haha.
Yet another lie by Pakatan. They are master liars master spinners master kelentong. Tg Piai folks has had enough and rejected them, it’s time the rest of the rakyat do to the same.
Agreed full of lies pakatan. Felda TH 1mdb Ltat ekcelli untung besar, but they master liars lied Felda TH 1mdb Ltat big losses and defraud. Utter lies, plz save Felda TH 1mdb Ltat.
Correct! On top of that, they lied that TARUC got no contributions to nation so cut funding. Pirahh! Many of their ministers are alumni from TARC, now they are a disgrace to have grad there. All those promises, all tipu rakyat one.
I dont get their concept. A flying car suppose to be a car when you feel like flying you fly or you drive it off. This is more like a Drone for humans. 35 km i can drive myself than waiting for this drone to warm up.
nasib baik… less chance of by election
Malaysia overtaken other global cities, Dubai and Singapore again. this Austria’s FACC AG made Super Dron will become our Game-changer.
Man 1: ee! wat’s that suspended from the tree?
Man 2: eHang obviously
New PRK coming….
Local grown? All blatant lies. Fark.
This is for fun or what? Really do not understand what the benefits it bring to the Rakyat???
Paddy farmers in Kedah don’t need to walk any more to spray. Now they can fly over the paddy field. Didn’t you read the article?
do you think this thing can be bought from warung kampung at the cost of RM10.99 per unit?
Bravo. Another make in Malaysia product. I means the batch or logo stick infront the flying car.
This is interesting, if it works, it marks a new frontier for transportation and flight technology for the masses. Still i believe there are numerous work to be done before it takes flight. Looking forward to such tech.
1. Stupid minister shouldn’t have called it a flying car when it’s really a passenger drone – it makes him sound kampung. 2. If it’s china made why call it malaysia’s first? The technical know how obviously didnt come from malaysia.
Strong Rich Holdings, what kind of engineering company is this? Money game ah?
All the use case stated can be done with a simple unmanned drone with a camera. Cheaper. Safer. This is unnecessary.
“aight guys instead of working on something that’s actually beneficial like a cost-effective electric car lets work on something incredibly unessential to our human lives and since we’re too pathetic to even build world-standard car we shall instead rebadge one from good old china”
Here’s my take.
It has no wheels, so not qualified as a car.
Stop calling it a car. It’s a drone.
to be precise, it should be called a passenger drone ;)
No wheels call it flying car?
sounds like an Ali Baba project. this minister should just step down.
Totally understand the intention/vision/dream or whatever you may call it. But this has Mahathir’s fingerprints all over it. Everything is shortcut.
We want national car, we rebadge Mitsubishis. We want astronaut, we buy a seat on Russia spaceship.
Now we want a flying car. Sure, why not rebadge another foreign-made brand.
When real flying cars are market ready, we’d probably be stuck with this 2 seater first iteration of E-Hang flying a maximum distance of 35km. Because why? Because import duty for those really good products will be sky high.
So many better products being developed out there.
Lilium,Akala’i Skaï, you name it.
Hmmm nonsense.. 47 years established , our UITM just as capable. Auto engnring & AI society.
The blade seems scary and dangerous. Wonder how many ancap star if test.
1st get into seat, fasten your safety belt, start your rotors, ready to take off.
On arrival you should prepares for landing, switch off the rotors, then unbuckled and disembark from the aircraft.
wa..like that also can…just rebadge it and call malaysia’s flying car…haizzz…
knew its too good to be true, how can we have the capabilities to come out a flying car ^^
So, that guy can’t even differentiate a flying car with a drone.. How much IQ does he has..??
Worse than Maslan, that goes for the other Cabinet ministers as well
Ironic. We laughed at Maslan’s antics but when we replaced him with PH fellas, we didn’t expect the current crop of ministers to be even worse than him. A real double facepalm! Really made us felt cheated!
Sorry which part did he say it’s a flying car? I thought it’s in the title. Which is written by someone from Paul Tan?
That’s not a flying car. Why our Minister keep calling it flying car. Just call it passenger drone dear Minister. If you call it passenger drone from the start, you would not be ridiculed for this *facepalm*
Malaysian Foreign-Made Flying Car or Foreign-Made Malaysian Flying Car?????
Feel sceptical about it….
To summarize the main points….
Malaysia’s first flying car is a foreign made passenger drone made by a Chinese company.
How is it even Malaysian?
So… its basically a manned drone… its made in China… been made since 2018… not really road capable thus not a flying car.
And its considered a ‘Malaysian’ product HOW….? And HOW is this benefitting Malaysian people again…?
And then Govt will BUY this China made product with the people’s money… for use of dunno what… and its a great achievement in Malaysian entrepreneurship…? Is that what Minister and PH Govt selling to us..?
Instead of beating round the bush, Govt should have just come out and say Govt will spend to buy China made manned drones.
The Malaysian company Aerodyne Group sounds very familiar to AeroTyne in Wolf of Wall Street movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJzo5TDfamk
So where’s the ‘Designed in Malaysia’ and ‘Made in Malaysia’ part? Where’s the ‘R&D in Malaysia’?
Jeng jeng jeng!
Songlap di Malaysia.
Another by election coming soon
Why not bring out an Iriz EV with propellers instead of wheels? Stupid Proton!
Stupid, what’s this got to do with proton, its PH not P2, ok.
He cannot stand his PH ministers kena hentam left right center up down. So he come here to spin and divert attention, but as usual he failed miserably. That is what happens when PH pays peanuts for their troopers.
after looking at this “flying car” without wheels and the fact that this is “malaysian” made in china, i feel being cheated again and again ………..
Ehang already have flying prototype way back in 2014-2016, long before this Redzuan became a minister.
What role this Eastcap has in this project? Designing front grille with Wau pattern?
Again, this has proven that the minister is purely a 1st class “dillusional syoik sendiri” fella.
Malaysia’s first flying car, but made in China.
wakakakwkakakakak…..
Why dont they improve the technology of helicopters instead? To make it lighter, more efficient and cheaper to maintain. Drone like this with so many blades and motors isnt it more harder snd expensive?
The Minister misled the rakyat……does he know what he is doing??
How much of taxpayers’ money goes into this faux ‘Malaysian-made’ ‘flying car’ project? So much for Malaysia baru
Believe me, it won’t work. It’s doomed before it even take off. I wouldn’t dare to sit in one.
might as well just get a helicopter that can go faster and further.
thats not a flying car…
Yeah..same like Volvo, bmw, merc, honda,etc..all have assembly facilities here in Malaysia, so are u calling those Malaysian made also??
It’s not even an assembly. Only marketing, operation (admin kot) and maintenance according to the article above.
Is not a CAR at all….
Oh my goodness. Duped by a minister real bad
Whole country got duped by Pakatan. What’s new?
Where is the KDK prototype? MYR1 Million for the R&D mean working with CHina ready made company?
What about the 1 hour flying time from Penang to KL? How come now become 35KM flying range super drone???
This sound like a scam for me!
I thought it’s a Ford Anglia
This is not a car. This is a drone. So where is the so called flying car?
I thought this was about Malaysia developing a flying car. So, this is basically just Malaysia being a customer of Ehang from China!! Just about anybody with money could have bought that, without blowing this like it’s R&D or joint venture lol. You can’t blame people for bashing when you are making a clown of youself!
Redzuan, please look at your own mirror… Can’t even have or develop the electric vehicle on land properly (electric car charging station) yet talking about flying car ? What a shame and it’s so obvious not develop by or from Malaysia but spending tax payer $$$ to get it from other people technology. Better announce it you are “getting it” from xxx country instead Malaysia develop it..!!
I have a feeling this is a white elephant project meant to distribute money to people involved.
Ehang has filed for bankruptcy in US despite promoting flying taxi.
Now Malaysia is next.
From when Drone become flying car? I guess they think ppl in Malaysia is stupid kot … muahahahaa
China made? How’s the reliability? Will the parts fail and the drone crash.