China debuts flying watercraft using ground-effect technology

Key facts

• Navee showcased its WaveFly 5X on Lake Taihu in Suzhou.
• The craft uses ground-effect technology to fly above water.
• This technology revives a concept from the Soviet Union's Cold War era.

Chinese mobility company Navee has completed the maiden flight of its WaveFly 5X, a passenger craft that utilizes ground-effect technology to skim just above the water's surface. The company showcased the vehicle on Lake Taihu in Suzhou, eastern Jiangsu province. This development revives a concept previously associated with the Soviet Union's experimental vehicles from the Cold War era, with Navee aiming to commercialize the technology.