Aircrafts modeled after cars taking flight clash during a practice run for an airshow in China
In a shocking incident on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, two electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles developed by Xpeng Aeroht, a subsidiary of the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng Motors, collided and crashed during a rehearsal for the Changchun Air Show in Jilin Province.
According to reports, the collision occurred as the eVTOL vehicles were performing high-difficulty stunts in close formation. One of the vehicles sustained fuselage damage and caught fire upon landing, and one of the pilots sustained minor injuries. Local authorities have completed on-site emergency measures, and an investigation is currently underway.
The eVTOL vehicles are at the heart of China's plans to build a "low-altitude economy." Cities across China are already piloting unmanned drone deliveries for parcels, food, and medical supplies. By 2023, China had more than 2,000 drone manufacturers and over 20,000 companies operating unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the Communist Party-run media People's Daily.
Xpeng Aeroht, which describes itself as the largest flying car company in Asia on its website, stated that the collision was due to "insufficient spacing." Videos of the crash show plumes of smoke and emergency vehicles at the scene.
China's civil aviation regulator forecasts that the country's low-altitude economy could reach a market size of $206 billion by 2025, and climb to $482 billion by 2035, according to state-run media Xinhua. Despite this incident, it is evident that the low-altitude economy market is a promising opportunity that manufacturers, including Xpeng Aeroht, are rushing to seize.
Our thoughts are with the injured pilot and the families affected by this unfortunate incident. The investigation into the crash continues, and we will provide updates as more information becomes available.
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