Chinese urban air mobility company EHang has completed the first passenger-carrying demonstration flight in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East with its autonomous eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) craft EH216-S. Additional uncrewed variants of the EHang aircraft family – including the high-rise firefighting EH126-F and aerial logistics EH126-L – also performed demonstration flights.

Mohamed Al Dhaheri, board member of EHang’s local strategic partner Multi Level Group, took a ride on the two-seat aircraft and remarked: “Being part of this historic moment is truly exhilarating. The seamless integration of technology and aviation represents a significant leap forward for our nation, and as an Emirati I am proud to be a part of it”.

Following the milestone flight, Huazhi Hu, founder, CEO and Chairman of EHang, explained his company would now “actively foster collaboration and communication between the GCAA and the Civil Aviation Administration of China to expedite the progress towards commercial flights of [the] pilotless aircraft in the UAE”.

EHang established a strategic partnership in the region with technology-driven freight forwarding service provider Wings Logistics Hub in December 2023, followed by a strategic collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Multi Level Group in April 2024.

Rival eVTOL developer Archer also intends to offer passenger services connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai with its Midnight aircraft from 2025.
Subscribe to the FINN weekly newsletter

You may also be interested in

EHang’s pilotless aircraft perform commercial flight demos

RAeS eVTOL safety study highlights importance of global regulatory body

Archer to accelerate air taxi operations across UAE