China moves closer to launching flying taxi services as EHang seeks Beijing’s go-ahead
Hu said EHang is working closely with the CAAC to establish a new operating system for pilotless aerial vehicles, and that the formal acceptance of the world’s first such operator certificate application has significant implications for the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) industry.
Chinese flying taxi maker EHang is now in the final stretch of a lengthy regulatory process to launch its urban air mobility service on the mainland. Photo: Shutterstock
The CAAC earlier this year granted EHang’s EH216-S the country’s first production certificate for a passenger-transport eVTOL aircraft. The same pilotless aircraft obtained its type and standard airworthiness certificates – both required for commercial operations – from the CAAC last year.
Nasdaq-listed EHang’s successful certification initiatives mark a breakthrough in mainland China’s multipronged effort to establish the nation’s low-altitude economy, covering a wide range of industries related to manned and unmanned eVTOL aircraft operating below an altitude of 1,000 metres.
While the CAAC’s review process may take some time to complete, this latest certification process for EHang reflects the potential of flying taxis in the domestic market amid Beijing’s support for the low altitude economy.
EHang the previous month announced that the EH216-S would be sold at a suggested retail price of US$410,000 outside the mainland from April 1.
The autonomous flight capabilities, fully electric propulsion, comprehensive redundancy safety features, and intelligent command-and-control systems of the EH216-S make it an ideal solution for various urban air mobility applications, including air taxi services, aerial tourism, airport shuttles and cross-island transport, according to EHang.
