Chinese Company Debuts WaveFly 5X Consumer Flying Watercraft on Lake Taihu
- tech360.tv
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Chinese mobility company Navee has completed the maiden flight of its WaveFly 5X passenger craft on Lake Taihu in Suzhou, eastern Jiangsu province.
The vehicle is the first consumer-oriented wing-in-ground-effect craft in the world.
The WaveFly 5X travels between 30cm and 50cm above the surface on a cushion of compressed air.
This technology reduces drag, improves energy efficiency, and eliminates typical aviation training requirements.
The craft is designed to operate like a boat from calm waterways, so users do not need a pilot licence.
The vehicle is constructed from aerospace-grade carbon fibre and does not require a runway.
The two-seat craft has a maximum payload of 140kg, reaches speeds up to 85 km/h, and has an 80-kilometre range.
It uses hot-swappable batteries that recharge in minutes.
The vehicle costs USD 99,999 and is available for pre-order with customisable colours and accessories.
Ground-effect vehicles were pioneered by the Soviet Union during the Cold War with the Caspian Sea Monster.
The 92-metre-long military prototype crashed in 1980.
Recent interest in the technology has grown due to improvements in lightweight materials, batteries, and navigation systems.
Images of a suspected military ground-effect craft in China emerged in the Bohai Sea.
The US Pentagon Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency also launched the Liberty Lifter programme in 2022.
US firm Regent Craft began testing its Viceroy prototype, a 12-passenger craft for regional transport routes.
The Viceroy is intended for certified mariners and has secured agreements with the US Marine Corps.
Navee was founded in 2021 and is backed by robot vacuum manufacturer Dreame Technology.
The organisation is known for electric scooters and has over 1 million users across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
Chinese mobility company Navee completed the maiden flight of the WaveFly 5X on Lake Taihu.
The two-seat vehicle flies 30cm to 50cm above water, reaches speeds of 85 km/h, and costs USD 99,999.
Operators do not require a pilot licence because the craft functions similarly to a boat.
Source: SCMP