Chinese-Made EHang EH216 Autonomous Air Taxi Completes Flight Demonstrations in Spain

Chinese eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft manufacturer EHang has multiple ongoing partnerships in Spain, where it keeps a constant presence with its EH216 AAV (autonomous aerial vehicle). The latest event involving EHang’s air taxi in the country was the successful completion of flight demonstrations under the European Union’s Air Mobility Urban-Large Experimental Demonstration (AMU-LED) project.

Back in 2021, EHang announced the beginning of a collaboration with the Spanish National Police to explore potential use cases for AAVs in security and emergency missions. This summer, the Chinese company showcased its EH216 eVTOL at the Expodronica 2022 event that’s part of the World ATM Congress and took place in Madrid. Several strategic partners from Spain joined EHang, including Bluenest, the country’s national police, and Aeroports de Catalunya.

Now, Ehang announces that its EH216 air taxi has successfully performed flight demonstrations in Spain as part of the AMU-LED project. The flights took place at the Rozas Airborne Research Center of Spain’s National Institute of Aerospace Technology in Lugo, Galicia.

Various scenarios were simulated for the flight demos, including the presence of other UAS (unmanned aerial systems) in the surrounding airspace and the proper implementation of conflict management procedures during flight. The EH216 performed safely and efficiently in all scenarios.

As stated by Victoria Jing Xiang, Chief Operating Officer of EHang Europe and Latin America, the latest flight demonstrations of the EH216 are very important for the AMU-LED project, whose purpose is to enable the development of urban air mobility and U-space in Europe. These tests are proof of EHang’s commitment to deploying innovative, safe, sustainable, and efficient aerial transportation for everyone, using cutting-edge AAV technologies.

Ehang’s EH216 air taxi is a short-range aircraft that can transport two people. It features gull-wing doors, and 16 electric motors, and can fly at altitudes of 9,800 ft (3,000 m). The eVTOL can reach speeds over 80 mph (130 kph) and promises ranges of up to 18.6 miles (30 km) per charge.