South Korean officials have demonstrated a local air transportation service that could be launched in Seoul as early as 2025.
韩国官员展示了一项当地航空运输服务，该服务最早可能于2025年在首尔启动。

The recent demonstration involved the country's urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles. The vehicles are designed to transport people between major airports and downtown Seoul. Officials say the taxi service is expected to cut travel time between the two places by about two-thirds.
最近这次展示涉及到了该国的城市空中飞行器。这种飞行器用于在大型机场和首尔市中心之间运送人员。官员们表示，这种空中出租车服务有望将两地之间的旅行时间缩短三分之二左右。

Last year, South Korea announced plans to launch urban air travel services by 2025. The transport ministry estimates such services would reduce travel time for distances between 30 and 50 kilometers from one hour by car to 20 minutes by air.
去年，韩国宣布计划在2025年前推出城市空中旅行服务。韩国交通部估计，此类服务将使30到50公里路程的旅行时间从乘车1小时缩短到乘机20分钟。

Transport Minister Noh Hyeong-ouk attended the UAM air traffic demonstration. He said such vehicles are expected "to become one of the common means of transportation that citizens use in daily life." Therefore, it is "imperative" that UAM services are tested in different environments," Noh added.
韩国交通部长卢炯旭参加了这次城市空中交通的展示活动。他说，此类飞行器有望“成为市民日常出行的常用交通工具之一。”他还表示，因此在不同环境中对城市空中交通服务进行测试是非常迫切的。

During the demonstration, a pilot flew a two-seat air taxi model by Germany's Volocopter at Seoul's Gimpo Airport. The test aimed to demonstrate the vehicle's control and coordination.
在展示期间，一名飞行员在首尔金浦机场驾驶了一架德国产Volocopter双座空中出租车的样车。这次测试旨在展示这种飞行器的操控和协调性。

The Volocopter vehicle is powered by rotors that permit it to take off and land like a helicopter does. The model demonstrated can be piloted or operate without a pilot.
这种Volocopter飞行器由水平旋翼提供动力，可以像直升机一样起降。演示的样机可以在没有飞行员的情况下进行飞行和操作。

However, a transport ministry official said that when passengers are onboard UAMs, a pilot must also be onboard to control the vehicle. This is a safety measure for the taxi service and will also help the vehicles gain public acceptance, the official added.
然而，一名交通部官员表示，当乘客登上这种城市空中飞行器时，必须有一名飞行员同机进行控制。这位官员还表示，这是这种空中出租车的一项安全措施，也将有助其获得大众认可。

South Korean designers also showed off a model of another UAM vehicle. That one will not be ready for flight tests until next year. The team producing that vehicle plans to develop a five-seat version, the transport ministry said.
韩国设计师还展示了另一款城市空中飞行器的样机。该样机要到明年才能进行试飞。韩国交通部表示，该飞行器的制造团队计划开发一款五座版本。

Other technology demonstrated at the event included imaging equipment to track the aircraft, as well as lighting systems for specially designed "vertiports" where air taxis will land and take off.
此次活动上展示的其他技术包括用于跟踪这种飞行器的成像设备，以及为空中出租车起降的垂直起降场专门设计的照明系统。

A trip from Incheon International Airport to central Seoul is expected to cost about $93 when the service starts in 2025. That is much higher than a trip currently with the most costly taxi service. But transport ministry officials said the cost is expected to drop to about $17 per trip by 2035, if the market continues to experience strong growth.
当2025年开通这项服务时，从仁川国际机场到首尔市中心的旅程预计需要花费93美元。这远高于目前最昂贵的出租车服务。但交通部官员表示，如果这一市场继续强劲增长，预计到2035年，每次旅行的成本将降至17美元。

In a statement, the ministry said the test flight demonstrated the abilities of air traffic control systems. The ministry said the systems that currently manage all airport flights in the country can also manage UAM air traffic.
该部在一项声明中表示，此次试飞展示了空中交通管制系统的能力。该部表示，目前管理韩国所有机场的系统也可以管理城市空中交通。

This shows that the existing air traffic operations can be carried out "in harmony with UAM operations," the statement said.
声明表示：“这表明现有的空管系统可以与城市空管系统协调一致。”

I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，请勿转载，违者必究！)

South Korean officials have demonstrated a local air transportation service that could be launched in Seoul as early as 2025.

The recent demonstration involved the country's urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles. The vehicles are designed to transport people between major airports and downtown Seoul. Officials say the taxi service is expected to cut travel time between the two places by about two-thirds.

Last year, South Korea announced plans to launch urban air travel services by 2025. The transport ministry estimates such services would reduce travel time for distances between 30 and 50 kilometers from one hour by car to 20 minutes by air.

A pilot gets off a "Volocopter 2X" drone taxi during an Urban Air Mobility Airport Demo event at Gimpo Airport in Seoul, South Korea, November 11, 2021. (REUTERS/Heo Ran)

Transport Minister Noh Hyeong-ouk attended the UAM air traffic demonstration. He said such vehicles are expected "to become one of the common means of transportation that citizens use in daily life." Therefore, it is "imperative" that UAM services are tested in different environments," Noh added.

During the demonstration, a pilot flew a two-seat air taxi model by Germany's Volocopter at Seoul's Gimpo Airport. The test aimed to demonstrate the vehicle's control and coordination.

The Volocopter vehicle is powered by rotors that permit it to take off and land like a helicopter does. The model demonstrated can be piloted or operate without a pilot.

However, a transport ministry official said that when passengers are onboard UAMs, a pilot must also be onboard to control the vehicle. This is a safety measure for the taxi service and will also help the vehicles gain public acceptance, the official added.

South Korean designers also showed off a model of another UAM vehicle. That one will not be ready for flight tests until next year. The team producing that vehicle plans to develop a five-seat version, the transport ministry said.

Other technology demonstrated at the event included imaging equipment to track the aircraft, as well as lighting systems for specially designed "vertiports" where air taxis will land and take off.

A trip from Incheon International Airport to central Seoul is expected to cost about $93 when the service starts in 2025. That is much higher than a trip currently with the most costly taxi service. But transport ministry officials said the cost is expected to drop to about $17 per trip by 2035, if the market continues to experience strong growth.

In a statement, the ministry said the test flight demonstrated the abilities of air traffic control systems. The ministry said the systems that currently manage all airport flights in the country can also manage UAM air traffic.

This shows that the existing air traffic operations can be carried out "in harmony with UAM operations," the statement said.

I'm Bryan Lynn.

Reuters reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

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Words in This Story

urban – adj. belonging or relating to a town or city

mobility – n. the ability to move freely or be easily moved

imperative – adj. extremely important or urgent

coordination – n. the activity of organizing separate things so that they work together

rotor – n. a part of a machine that spins, especially the device supporting the turning blades of a helicopter

track – v. to follow the movements of something

manage – v. to control the operations of something

harmony – n. a situation in which people are peaceful and agree with each other