EHang today announced that its autonomous EH216-S eVTOL has completed the first passenger-carrying demo flight in Abu Dhabi, “marking the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Middle East,” says the company. Additionally, the EH216-F (for high-rise firefighting) and EH216-L (for aerial logistics) demonstrated their debut flights in the UAE.
“The EH216 series pilotless eVTOL aircraft (including EH216-S, EH216-L and EH216-F) performed several autonomous flights at the Emirates Falcons Aviation Club in Al Ali, Abu Dhabi with the approval by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE,” said the company in a press release. Mohamed Al Dhaheri, board member of Multi Level Group (MLG), EHang’s local strategic partner, was on board the EH216-S flight.
“Following the EH216-S debut unmanned demo flights at the DRIFTx event on April 25, 2024, the recent flights represented a continuous fruitful outcome of EHang’s further development in the UAE supported by the GCAA, MLG and Wings Logistics Hub. In close coordination with the partners and government entities in the UAE, EHang is actively engaged in the design and establishment of eVTOL vertiports, in swift preparation for launching commercial UAM routes.
“EHang expanded into the UAE by joining the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries Cluster and establishing a strategic partnership with Wings Logistics Hub in December 2023, and further established a strategic collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and MLG in April 2024 to drive eVTOL development in the UAE.”
For more information
https://www.ehang.com/news/1083.html
(Image: . Mohamed Al Dhaheri, board member of MLG took a ride on the EH216-S – – image from EHang)