Chinese company taking pilotless aircraft to international markets

EHang Holdings, a global leader in advanced air mobility technology in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, announced on Wednesday the launch of its global fast track program, which provides an accelerated pathway for the assessment and introduction of pilotless aircraft operations in international markets.

Driven by the company's global expansion strategy, the program is expected to hasten the deployment of EHang's pilotless eVTOL — electric vertical takeoff and landing — aircraft from initial regulatory approval to commercial operations in new international markets.

The program includes infrastructure and ground operation systems, validation flights and commercial flights that will enable authorities to move from validation to commercialization more efficiently based on aircraft that are already certified.

The program will serve as a breakthrough for unlocking international eVTOL markets, said Hu Huazhi, the founder, chairman and CEO of EHang.

"By enabling civil aviation authorities to validate an already-certified aircraft rather than start from scratch, the program is expected to turn regulatory exploration into actionable progress more effectively," said Hu.

Sri Lanka is the inaugural market under the initiative, with ports and civil aviation authorities in the country adopting the program. Initial commercialization is expected within four months, subject to the successful completion of mandatory regulatory, technical, operational and safety assessments.

EHang's fast-track program — known as its sandbox model — is a testing mechanism designed for the commercialization and implementation of autonomous eVTOL aircraft.

After the program's implementation in Sri Lanka, the company will expand to other markets where the company has been engaging in active dialogue with civil aviation authorities, Hu said.

"We welcome regulators and partners worldwide who share this vision to join us in making pilotless eVTOL operations a reality," he said.

The company's flagship model, the EH216-S, has obtained the world's first type certificate, production certificate and standard airworthiness certificate for pilotless eVTOL issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.