Chinese autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) manufacturer EHang Holdings has co-developed a novel air mobility concept with Italian architecture firm Giancarlo Zema Design Group (GZDG) aimed at the ecotourism market.
Following a brief from EHang, GZDG has designed an eco-sustainable vertiport and plans to build a prototype in Italy. The vertiport will use green design and construction materials, and can generate renewable energy to recharge the AAVs.
Inspired by the native African Baobab tree, GZDG came up a 30-meter-high steel and laminated wood structure, including a waiting room, café, a 200-square-meter panoramic restaurant and connecting lift. The take off-and-landing platform will be set on the roof terrace.
The vertiport is built with non-slip photovoltaic panels that can generate over 300 KW of electric power daily. The platform will have fully independent plug-and-play charging infrastructures that can be used to recharge EHang’s AAVs.
EHang and GZDG plans a network of Baobab vertiports across Europe and Southeast Asia as part of a broader eco-tourism offer.
