Shanghai (ZXZC)- On September 11, GAC Group's flying car model, GOVE, was granted a special flight permit by the CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) Central and Southern Regional Administration, marking GOVE's progress in airworthiness certification and commercialization, according to a post on GAC Group's WeChat account.

Photo credit: GAC Group

The permit application for GOVE followed the Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Airworthiness Certification Management Procedure (AP-21-AA-2022-71), a guideline that regulates the design, production, and airworthiness approval for medium and large-scale civil unmanned aerial systems.

GOVE has already completed an extensive series of tests, including 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 in hand, the GAC's flying car team will continue to pursue high-safety manned flight as a key goal. It aim to pushes technological upgrades and work toward engineering feasibility, gathering data and experience for mass production, testing, and certification to accelerate product commercialization.

Photo credit: GAC Group

The 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 can be used in three scenarios: ground driving, aerial flight, and ground-to-air docking. Potential applications include emergency rescue, aerial inspections, tourism, and short-distance commuting.

GOVE made its global maiden flight in June 2023 during the GAC TECH DAY 2023, and a flight demonstration took place in Guangzhou's CBD earlier this year in March. GAC R&D Center is also developing a more advanced flying car with a hybrid-wing design that will enable longer-range, higher-capacity flights, meeting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area's intercity travel needs with a range of up to 150 km. The ultimate goal is to ensure efficient, safe travel across the region within 40 minutes.

In addition to its focus on multi-rotor and hybrid-wing flying cars, GAC Group is exploring commercial models for urban aerial transportation. The company plans to introduce a flying car demonstration operation scheme by 2027, offering a fully integrated mobility service chain combining "multi-point hubs, ground transportation, and air travel" in two to three cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.