Chinese urban air mobility technology company EHang Holdings is stepping up efforts to commercially operate electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) for aerial sightseeing, tourism as well as logistics in overseas markets and bolster the development of the local low-altitude economy. The company’s pilotless eVTOL EH216-S recently completed the first passenger-carrying demo flight in Abu Dhabi. In close coordination with local partners and government departments in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), EHang has been actively engaged in the design and establishment of eVTOL vertiports, in swift preparation for launching commercial routes of urban air mobility. Hu Huazhi, Founder, CEO and Chairman of EHang, said, “After securing the approval for passenger-carrying demo flights and conducting the debut flight, we will actively communicate with the General Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to expedite the progress toward commercial flights of our pilotless aircraft in the UAE.”
Hu said the company hopes to introduce safe and reliable pilotless eVTOL aircraft to the global market, thereby offering safe, autonomous and eco-friendly air mobility services to everyone. Referred to as air taxis, eVTOLs don’t require traditional airports or runways. Similar to helicopters, they take off vertically and transition into fixed-wing flight mode in the air, and offer a promising air traffic and sightseeing option while traversing congested big cities. In December 2023, EHang became a member of the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) Cluster in Abu Dhabi. Led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, SAVI Cluster is dedicated to establishing the city as a key hub for smart and autonomous vehicles.
The company has also established a strategic partnership with Wings Logistics Hub, a local smart mobility and logistics tech company, to facilitate local certification and operations of the EH216 series eVTOLs covering passenger transportation, aerial logistics, and firefighting in the UAE. Under this partnership, Wings Logistics Hub intends to purchase up to 100 of EHang’s EH216 eVTOL aircraft. Its EH216-S pilotless eVTOL aircraft also completed its first autonomous air taxi flight in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in June, highlighting the huge potential of pilotless eVTOL aircraft for the region’s transportation system. Conducted in a low-risk area within protected airspace, the flight was critical in helping local authorities set the appropriate regulatory environment for deploying pilotless eVTOL aircraft, thereby enhancing mobility, reducing congestion and promoting sustainability, EHang said. The EH216-S pilotless eVTOL aircraft has also successfully conducted flights across 12 cities in Japan, showcasing its use in various applications, including aerial sightseeing, island transportation, aerial logistics, and emergency services. Global market consultancy Roland Berger estimates there will be up to 3,000 air taxis in operation by 2025 worldwide, and this figure will increase exponentially to 100,000 by 2050.
However, several technological, infrastructural and legal hurdles remain. Yu Zhanfu, Partner at Roland Berger, said eVTOL aircraft need to go through full verification regarding safety and technological stability before they can enter the urban air mobility segment. Compared with traditional helicopters, eVTOL aircraft are smaller, lighter and require less space for takeoffs and landings. They also have lower operating costs, which will give a big boost to their popularity, Yu said. EHang said in April that it had obtained a production certificate for its EH216-S eVTOL aircraft in China. The certificate, issued by the CAAC, is the world’s first production certificate granted in the global eVTOL industry. Previously, the EH216-S had obtained the type certificate and the airworthiness certificate from the CAAC, the China Daily reports.
Meanwhile, a helicopter air taxi service has started operating between Pudong's Xingye Aviation Base – 25 minutes by car from Pudong International Airport – and Kunshan City Terminal. Operated by Shanghai Newsky Helicopter Co, the air taxi service halves travel time between Shanghai and Kunshan. “From boarding the helicopter to reaching the airport gate, the entire process takes just 60 minutes,” Cao Xintian, Chairman of Shanghai Newsky, said. “This allows Kunshan residents to leave home as late as 8:15 am and still comfortably catch a 10 am flight from Pudong.” The Bell 505 helicopter used for the service is a single-engine, five-seat light helicopter with a maximum speed of 231 kilometers per hour and a range of 566 km. The seating arrangement is similar to that of a car, with two seats in front and three in the back, accommodating up to four passengers in addition to the pilot. During the introductory phase, one-way fares are set at CNY1,600 or CNY1,800 per seat, including the helicopter transfer and personalized airport service upon arrival. Wu Zhihui, Deputy Director of the General Aviation Division of the East China Civil Aviation Administration, said the service’s “air-ground-air” model is a first for China. Bookings are now available through online travel platforms such as Trip.com. The company plans to operate regular flights from Shanghai to Kunshan at 8 am and 4 pm daily, with return flights 30 minutes later, subject to weather and airspace conditions. It also plans to cover more cities in the Yangtze River Delta region. “We’re starting with areas that are within a two-hour drive or 25-minute helicopter flight from Pudong airport,” Cao said. “As market demand grows, we’ll expand our coverage accordingly,” he added, as reported by the China Daily.
The Global Times reports that in the South Ninth Tower area of the Badaling section of the Great Wall, drones are now being used to deliver food and essential supplies to visitors, marking Beijing's first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) logistics delivery. Visitors can now scan a QR code with their cell phones to log in to the delivery platform, and they can receive items such as medicine, drinking water and food delivered by UAVs in as little as five minutes. The drones take off from the rooftop of the Badaling Hotel. After the delivery hours, the drones are used to collect and dispose of waste.
