Ehang's EH216-S eVTOL completes first public demonstration flight in Hong Kong
Chinese manufacturer Ehang flew its autonomous EH216-S air taxi in a public demonstration at Hong Kong's Cyberport, part of a government trial program for low-altitude airspace use.
Ehang has flown its autonomous electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the EH216-S, in public for the first time in Hong Kong. The flight took place at Cyberport and followed a pre-programmed route covering vertical take-off and landing, cruise flight and hovering, according to the company.
The demonstration is part of a government-backed trial programme looking at new uses for low-altitude airspace in the city. Validation flights under the programme have reportedly been underway since mid-August, and further public flights are planned for 28 to 30 August to test the reliability and safety of more frequent operations.
Ehang is said to be working with local partners on possible commercial use of the aircraft in Hong Kong. No timeline was given for when, or whether, that might happen. The EH216-S is designed to fly without a pilot on board, relying on autonomous flight systems instead.
No further technical or regulatory details were disclosed about the aircraft's certification status in Hong Kong or the scope of the trial programme beyond the flights already scheduled.
Sources
- aerotelegraph.comEhang absolviert ersten öffentlichen Flug ihres Evtols