Step into an empty plane that seems to have landed straight from the future, buckle up, sit back, and take in the views as you soar through the air. The pilot isn’t even there to invade your privacy in your panoramic bubble. It may sound like a distant reality beyond our lifetimes, but EHang is adamant about shortening the distance considerably. The Chinese autonomous eVTOL manufacturer has recently conducted several flights to demonstrate cutting-edge transportation that will soon be available in a variety of destinations across China.
EHang completed its latest passenger demo as part of the celebration event on June 22, allowing multiple people to board the EH216-S drone for a short, low-altitude sightseeing tour. Passengers flew while hovering above the lush mountain and alpine lake scenery surrounding the Baizhang Waterfall and Feiyun Lake Scenic Area in Wencheng, China.
June 2024, Wencheng City EHang Tourism Demonstration
E-Hang
EHang’s demonstrations are nothing new: the company has been conducting passenger tests and test flights of the EH216-S for many years, and plans to conduct its first commercial demonstration flights in China in Guangzhou and Hefei in December 2023 after becoming the first in the world to receive type certification.
But last month’s demonstration felt a little different, as it took place in conjunction with the delivery of 27 EH216-S aircraft to the Wencheng city government for its low-altitude tourism initiative. Wencheng, a prefecture in Wenzhou city, Zhejiang province, China, is working to become a pioneer in the rapidly emerging low-altitude economy, in which both manned and unmanned aircraft will fly in the airspace below 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) to provide transportation, leisure, commercial goods transport, emergency response, and services that no doubt even industry players can imagine.
The 27 Wencheng units make up the bulk of an order for 30 units, with the county already paying a deposit for a much larger fleet of 270 EH216-S vessels to be delivered through 2026. EHang said the county has paid in full for the initial 30-unit order.
EHang prepares to deliver 27 EH-216S unmanned eVTOL aircraft
E-Hang
Much of Wencheng’s infrastructure to support EH216-S flights and services is still in place, although an airfield and associated facilities have been constructed at Baizhangqi Resort, site of the delivery event in June, and plans are to add similar infrastructure throughout the county in preparation for the launch of EH216-S commercial aerial tourism services.
“This year marks an important beginning for the development of Wencheng’s low-altitude economy,” Luo Zhaozheng, secretary-general of Wencheng county government, said at an event last month. “Wencheng will make full use of its advantages, including clean airspace, rich terrain and unique location conditions, to actively develop its low-altitude economy. By innovating in this emerging industry, we will work with EHang to explore new business models and accelerate the integrated ecosystem of low-altitude applications, landscapes and local culture.”
Located southwest of Wenzhou in eastern China, Wencheng is known for its dazzling waterfalls, lush mountains and valleys, shimmering lakes and dense forests. It provides the perfect backdrop for any style of aerial tour, especially those that transport passengers inside a private panoramic glass bubble.
EHang will work with local Wencheng city authorities and companies to further develop the infrastructure. The plan is to designate multiple eVTOL air tourism routes within the prefecture and establish regular eVTOL operations by the end of 2024. Parties also plan to explore non-tourism applications, such as emergency response and logistics.
EHang held a delivery and demo event in Wencheng city in late June.
E-Hang
Seeing an opportunity to emerge as a global leader in the cutting-edge field, the Chinese government has liberalized regulation and certification for the emerging eVTOL industry, followed by investment in the low-altitude economy, a market expected to double in size to over 1 trillion RMB (US$137.5 billion) by 2026.
EHang has been working tirelessly with governments and businesses across China towards this goal, most recently this week announcing a Memorandum of Understanding with China Southern Airlines to establish an EH216-S demonstration site and use case in and around Zhuhai.
The 193 cm (76 in) long EH216-S is equipped with eight coaxial propellers (16 propellers total) and can fly autonomously up to 30 km (18.6 miles) on a single charge with two passengers on board. It has a top speed of 30 km/h (81 mph). Each vessel uses 4G/5G high-speed wireless connectivity to navigate pre-planned routes and communicate with a command center.
Shortly after announcing the domestic price, EHang also announced the starting price of the EH216-S for the global market at $410,000.
EHang flight over the snowy mountains
E-Hang
EHang received a production certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in April, recognising that the company has met the authority’s requirements for establishing a mass production quality control system.
So, while flying cars may not be a reality just yet, we could soon see human-carrying eVTOL drones buzzing around various Chinese cities and destinations, like these:
EH216-S First passenger flight in Wencheng County, Wenzhou
Source: EHang
