The first national test of an air taxi was carried out in Israel

As part of the national drone project, for the first time in Israel, demonstrations of flights in innovative aircraft were held - eVTOL - an autonomous drone capable of carrying passengers as well as heavy cargo, and is expected to be used as a means of public transportation in the aerial dimension.

The national drone project enters another week of experiments, which takes place in several centers throughout the country at the same time. The project is a partnership of government bodies led by the Ministry of Transportation, the Innovation Authority, Ayalon Routes and the Civil Aviation Authority. The purpose of the project is to support and promote an ecosystem through technology, regulation and infrastructure for the use of advanced aircraft and to qualify the airspace for the flights of these aircraft with the intention of easing the congestion on Israel's roads, optimizing commercial and public services and creating a competitive advantage for Israeli high-tech companies in the field of drones to break into the global market.

During the past week, within the framework of the project, for the first time, eVTOL demonstration flights with capabilities for carrying heavy cargo and in the future also flying people over long distances took place. These are electric vehicles that fly autonomously and have a long flight range in a managed urban aerial space.

As part of the demonstration and test flights that were held this week throughout Israel, 11 drone companies and supporting companies operated in the region, performing complex experiments in order to promote the ability to operate in Israel, including eVTOL flights to test air transportation:

• The Downwind company performed the longest flight performed so far in the project, about 29 km, to open a flight path between Hillel Yaffe Hospital - Rambam.
• · Autonomous urban flights were carried out to examine the transportation of goods from Yohannoff branches. 
• Cando Drones made delivery flights between Rami Levy branches; Night flights in the coastal area of ​​Hadera in cooperation with the municipality; and traffic monitoring activity at the Nesher-Bar Yehuda intersection.
• Sentrycs conducted an experiment to ensure a flight environment for licensed drones. In cooperation with the companies Flytech and Cando-
• The ATI company is using TA Helicopters helicopters to explore eVTOL landing options in city centers, and made a flight route from Kfar Truman to the center of Tel Aviv, with a landing in Reading.

Several companies are taking part in the drone project that began in 2019, Aerovision Drones Ltd., F.T. Aerial Solutions Ltd., Elsight, AGL, AIR TAXI ISRAEL (ATI), DOWN WIND Brook, Highlander Aviation, Cando Drones and robotican.

The first phase of the national drone project that took place between 2019 and 2022 focused on flying small payloads. The current phase aims to increase the carrying weights and ranges, so that in the future it will be possible to fly heavier loads and passengers. Also, as part of the demonstrations, a "system of roads in the sky" is being paved that will allow for regular flight activity in the skies of the country so that a number of drones and different aircraft can fly at the same time for a variety of uses, including health, retail, security, safety and more. The drone project also deals with regulating the airspace and building regulatory infrastructures for flying autonomous tools for the public benefit. In the last three years, more than 19,000 sorties have been carried out over urban and rural areas as part of the project. In the next two years, the companies participating in the project will continue to make flights throughout the country for one week each month. The flights will be carried out in managed airspace, nationwide for long distances of up to 150 kilometers, while carrying heavier loads, including tools that will also allow humans to fly in the future. The project works in cooperation with other commercial and public bodies - air force, airport authority, local authorities and other relevant bodies. The Ayalon Routes Company will continue to serve as a staging site for the demonstrations and will make space available to the companies at its metropolitan control and control center.

The dronery company from Cando Drones took off for the first time with the innovative EH-216 aircraft of the EHANG company, which is capable of carrying up to 220 kilograms and flying for a distance of about 30 kilometers. The AIR company flew the AIR ZERO, which is manufactured in Israel and can carry up to 2 passengers and a total weight of up to 250 kg of cargo, for a distance of up to 160 kilometers. The project has been operating since 2019 and now, as part of the second phase that began in January 2023, more than 60 million shekels are being invested for two years in the near future, during which there will be test flights of a large number of vessels, which in the future will also be able to fly people and goods.

Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Major General (Res.) Miri Regev: "The Ministry of Transportation, under my leadership, is working to strengthen Israel's position as a global development center for vehicle and transportation technologies, including in the air. In this framework, we are jointly promoting experiments to examine innovative technologies, such as the national drone project. This is the first initiative of its kind in the world for an extensive and multidisciplinary examination of the new technologies, including transportation payloads and later also humans. The joint venture examines all the aspects involved in the commercial operation of drones, among other things as a tool In addition to dealing with congestion, including regulation and legislative changes, this is a new, intriguing and challenging world that opens up unlimited possibilities for us.

Dror Bin, CEO of the Innovation Authority: "Israel is one of the leaders in the field in the world, Today's test is an important milestone in the national drone project and Israel is internationally recognized for being one of the leaders in the field in the world. The importance of the project is in the creation of a regulatory sandbox that allows all the relevant parties practical experience until the creation of a regulatory infrastructure that enables a model with economic viability. The ability of Israeli startup companies in the field of drones to experiment within this sandbox gives them a competitive advantage in the global market."

Orly Stern, CEO of Ayalon Routes : "The National Drone Project is a project that aims to provide a variety of technological solutions to ease congestion on the roads. The drones that are currently being tested will be able to bypass traffic jams and ease congestion by removing cars and trucks from the roads, combined with aerial traffic management systems, we will create a variety of aerial transportation options for the transfer of goods in routine and emergency situations"