XPENG AEROHT Land Aircraft Carrier concept starts flight tests in the UAE 

Chinese car maker XPENG started manned flight tests of its car-launched AEROHT eVTOL in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on September 11, 2025. 

The first flight took place in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates of the UAE, shortly after XPeng received the necessary approval from the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). 

During the demonstration, which took place at the Jazirah Aviation Club, the aircraft performed a number of maneuvers to showcase its capabilities, such as hovering, doing 360-degree rotations and coordinated turns. 

The launch of this flight test program was attended by the ruler of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, as well as the Chinese ambassador to the UAE. 

XPENG AEROHT, which is the advanced air mobility subsidiary of the eponymous carmaker raised US$150 million in a Series B round in 2024, in order to further the development of its modular concept. 

The Chinese firm has developed the so-called ‘Land Aircraft Carrier’, which consists of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) carrying a small manned eVTOL vehicle folded on its back. The eVTOL can be unfolded and deployed at the desired location and then folded back again after post-flight recovery. 

XPENG AEROHT has also signed a strategic agreement with the RAK Transport Authority to collaborate on this vehicle’s flight certification in the UAE, as well as its potential use on several government-related applications, such as government transportation, emergency services and tourism. 

The ‘Land Aircraft Carrier’ vehicle combination is currently undergoing the process of obtaining a production certificate in China, where XPENG is also building a manufacturing plant for AEROHT. This production facility is expected to be completed before the end of 2025. 

In parallel to this, XPENG has had a prominent presence at the IAA Mobility trade show, which takes place in Munich, September 8-14, 2025, where it has also showcased the AEROHT concept of land-air transportation. 

XPENG AEROHT eVTOL showcased at IAA Mobility 2025. Picture: Miquel Ros / AeroTimeThe post XPENG AEROHT Land Aircraft Carrier concept starts flight tests in the UAE  appeared first on AeroTime.

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