The Guangzhou-based manufacturer has obtained certification for a pilotless eVTOL flight with two passengers on board. It is the world’s first.
Chinese company EHang has obtained the world’s first certification for an unmanned aerial cab, a two-seat electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), the EH216-S. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has granted flight clearance for the aircraft, which is fully compliant with the CAAC’s safety standards and airworthiness requirements and is qualified to conduct commercial autonomous passenger operations currently only in China.
According to EHang’s CEO, Huazhi Hu, China is the largest and fastest growing market with the highest demand for such flying vehicles. The company is considering in which city in China it will launch its first passenger air cab flight without giving a specific date. In addition, EHang said it has overseas preorders for more than 1,200 units, including customers in Europe, the United States and Asia.
This certification is a step forward for the pilotless eVTOL cab industry, which could revolutionize passenger transportation in the future.
The pilotless eVTOL manufacturing company EHang
EHang is a Chinese company based in Guangzhou that develops and manufactures autonomous aerial vehicles (AAVs) also for passengers. The company provides its customers in various industries with AAV products and commercial solutions such as air mobility, smart city management and aerial vehicles. EHang announced the Ehang 184, unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2016, as the world’s first AAV capable of carrying passengers.
The company designs and manufactures eVTOLs for both passengers and cargo and focuses on advanced air mobility. The main manufacturing process of EHang’s AAVs takes place at the EHang Yunfu Manufacturing Plant, which occupies about 24,000 square meters of gross floor area. This plant is dedicated to the production of key components and carbon fiber frames for the assembly and flight testing of AAVs.
EHang offers several products, including the EHang 216 (production model), EHang 216L (logistics), EHang VT-25 (conceptual design) and EHang VT-30 (prototype). The EHang 216-S is precisely the first unmanned air cab.
