Air Taxi Flies in Downtown Shanghai; PilotlessAir Taxi Flies in Downtown Shanghai; Pilotless

Chinese flying taxi company EHang Holdings flew its pilotless passenger eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle for the first time in downtown Shanghai.

EHang also officially launched the test operations of its H216-S flying vehicle on sightseeing routes by the Huangpu River at Longhua Airport in Shanghai.

Longhua Airport is in the Shanghai downtown area and home to the East China General Aviation Service Center of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

Future commercial operations are planned for Shanghai and the airport is considered an important base to develop Shanghai’s low-altitude economy.

The commercial operations of urban air taxis would be in the Yangtze River Delta region centered around Shanghai.

The EH216-S used in the demonstration flight was one of the electric aerial vehicles (EAV) EHang delivered to its customer Shanghai Hynfar Aviation, which is focusing on eVTOL operations.

The Action Plan for High-Quality Development of Shanghai Low-Altitude Economy Industry (2024–2027) states a goal of achieving more than 100 low-altitude flight service commercial applications, including logistics transportation, emergency rescue, cultural tourism, smart cities and passenger transportation by 2027.

“As the world’s first pilotless passenger-carrying eVTOL that has obtained the type certificate, production certificate and standard airworthiness certificate from the CAAC, EH216-S’s successful debut flight in Shanghai has a great demonstration importance, signifying that large central cities in China are on the verge of entering the era of urban air taxi flight scenarios,” said Zhao Wang, EHang chief operating officer.

Related:Air Taxi Company Partners for Vertiports

EHang last year signed a deal with Vertiports Network to integrate its eVTOL vehicle into its vertiports network ecosystem.

Vertiports Networks, a European vertiport infrastructure company that develops vertiport network operations, agreed to work with EHang to develop the European modular urban air mobility (UAM) ecosystem.

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EHang has been setting up strategic public-private partnerships with various European governments and public institutions to help promote and develop the international UAM industry.

For example, EHang established a strategic cooperation with Spanish cities Seville and Zaragoza.

EHang has raised $22 million from Zhuhai Enpower Electric and a strategic investor from the Middle East, bringing the total raised by the company to $100 million.

Related:Flying Taxi Company Partners to Develop Advanced Motor Systems

EHang also has signed a long-term strategic partnership with Zhuhai Enpower to co-develop high-performance electric motors for the EHang eVTOL vehicle.

The partnership aims to improve the performance of the EHang fleet of EAVs, using the Enpower technology to refine the design of electric motors and motor controllers “with lighter weight, higher power density, superior cooling performance and broader compatibility across EHang’s eVTOL models,” according to the company.

The unnamed investor is from the United Arab Emirates, where an order for 100 units has been placed.

EHang recently launched a UAM hub as a key infrastructure component for the operation of its  EH216-S pilotless EAV.

The new hub, at Luogang Central Park in Hefei, Anhui Province, is the second vertiport established in Luogang Park after the Urban Air Mobility Operations Center was introduced last year.

The hub is planned as a demonstration project for the commercial operations of EAVs in eastern China.

The UAM hub, at 21,000 square feet, is called Ascend and is designed to accommodate up to 20 flying vehicles. It has separate zones for ticketing, passenger waiting areas, boarding, a command-and-control center and charging and maintenance areas.

The hub is designed to support air shuttle service, aerial tourism and cross-district transportation in the city's main areas. 

Related:Air Taxi Company Launches Hub for Pilotless Flying Vehicles

EHang formed a strategic partnership with the Hefei Municipal Government in 2023 and the UAM Hub will be operated by Hefei Heyi Aviation.

EHang also conducted its first passenger flights in Thailand as it works to set up commercial flight operations there.

Flights in the EHang EH216-S were conducted at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in central Bangkok. 

EHang plans to conduct flight tests in Thailand and launch commercial operations in the regions of Phuket and Koh Samui this year.

EHang recently partnered with the Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC) to collaborate to develop and train operator and maintenance staff for large civil urban aerial vehicles (UAV).

The university, created by the CAAC and the government of Sichuan Province, develops pilot licensing frameworks and specializes in regulations and standards for UAV operators.

EHang and its local partners have carried out more than 50,000 flights in 17 countries in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America, according to the company.

EHang and Gohobby plan to conduct test flight campaigns with Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency and Brazil’s Airspace Control Department, where test flights also were conducted.

EHang has received its Type Certificate, Production Certificate and Standard Certificate of Airworthiness for the EH216-S from the CAAC.

The company has delivered 10 of its $410,000 eVTOLs to the Taiyuan Xishan Ecological Tourism Investment Construction Co. for local tourism, following a demonstration flying with passengers on board. 

The flying vehicles can carry two passengers and fly autonomously, with battery charging times expected to take fewer than 10 minutes for charging from 30% to 80%.

EHang also featured its VT-30 long-range pilotless EH216-F for firefighting use and the EH216-L for logistics use. 

The firefighting vehicle was showcased at Driftx in Abu Dhabi last year. It has rockets on top to break windows during a high-rise fire and a large nozzle protruding from the front to deliver fire retardant liquid from a tank at the bottom of the craft.

EHang also has an agreement with one of Hong Kong’s largest transportation companies to promote the operation of EHang’s eVTOL in Hong Kong, Macau and other cities in China.

The agreement with KC Smart Mobility Company aims to use the EAV for travel services.

EHang also has signed an agreement with China Southern Airlines General Aviation Company to create operation demonstration sites for low-altitude tourism and flight services.

The companies plan to create sites for EAVs at Zhuhai Jiuzhou Airport and the Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom.

EHang delivered 27 flying vehicles to Wencheng County Transportation Development Group in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, as part of a deal to sell 300 EAVs to the tourism development group.

EHang carried multiple passengers in low-altitude, sightseeing tours over Tianding Lake at the Baizhangji Fall and Feiyun Lake Scenic Resort, providing views of the general Wencheng area.

The flying taxi also has made autonomous flights in Saudi Arabia, flying in Mecca in conjunction with Front End Limited Company.

In Saudi Arabia, EHang is supported by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services, the Ministry of Hajj and the Ministry of Interior.

EHang took its first passenger for a demonstration ride in Abu Dhabi, a passenger flight that followed demonstrations of the EAV conducted without passengers at the DriftX mobility expo in Abu Dhabi.

The EAV maker joined the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries Cluster in Abu Dhabi and formed a partnership with Wings Logistics Hub, a passenger eVTOL subsidiary of Technology Holding Company.

EHang also has flown a group of 12 EAVs together in China. In a video, the 12 flying vehicles took off together from an airfield in Hefei, China, on what appeared to be a snowy day.