Photo: EHang
It's been a spectacular year for Chinese eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) maker EHang, who claims to be the first in the industry to obtain a certificate for its autonomous electric aircraft. One of the company's most significant international partnerships focuses on the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
It's no secret that the UAE is determined to become one of the leading hubs for the latest technologies related to transportation. To be even more specific, Abu Dhabi claims it intends to become no less than "the smartest city in the Middle East and Africa region."
The SAVI (Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries) Cluster was specifically founded by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to turn Abu Dhabi into a pioneering center for this type of mobility, which includes self-flying electric VTOLs.
EHang was the perfect match. The Chinese company's EH216-S secured the certification for autonomous operations in China in less than three years. The acknowledgment came after more than 40,000 test flights that started with autonomous flying tests back in 2017. The aircraft also had to pass validation tests across 65 main categories to get the green light from the Civil Aviation Administration in China (CAAC).
EHang is now officially part of the SAVI Cluster through a collaboration with Wings Logistics Hub. The aviation operator has committed to purchasing up to 100 units from EHang, which are set to start being delivered as soon as the first quarter of 2024. The order isn't limited to the EH216-S, which is the passenger air taxi version. It also includes the EH216-L, which is the logistics configuration of the Chinese eVTOL, and the EH216-F, which is configured for firefighting.
The Chinese AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) company seems determined to conquer the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area. Earlier this year, it launched another major partnership in UAE with the Abu Dhabi-based manufacturer Monarch Airplane Manufacturing. The goal was to set up the first eVTOL manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi. In addition to manufacturing, the large-scale facility would also include a command-and-control center for building dedicated infrastructure and managing autonomous air taxi and cargo drone operations.
In the meantime, EHang is ready to roll out the first EH216-S units before the end of this year and start delivering them to worldwide customers. The eVTOL maker also confirmed that during the initial phase, its autonomous air taxis will operate under certain safety restrictions. The first flights on new routes will be closely monitored, and the aircraft will gradually move from low-altitude to high-altitude flights.
The EH216-S is also the first eVTOL selected by a security institution in the EU. The Spanish Police broke the ice at the end of last year when it decided to add the Chinese eVTOL to its current fleet.
The SAVI (Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries) Cluster was specifically founded by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to turn Abu Dhabi into a pioneering center for this type of mobility, which includes self-flying electric VTOLs.
EHang was the perfect match. The Chinese company's EH216-S secured the certification for autonomous operations in China in less than three years. The acknowledgment came after more than 40,000 test flights that started with autonomous flying tests back in 2017. The aircraft also had to pass validation tests across 65 main categories to get the green light from the Civil Aviation Administration in China (CAAC).
EHang is now officially part of the SAVI Cluster through a collaboration with Wings Logistics Hub. The aviation operator has committed to purchasing up to 100 units from EHang, which are set to start being delivered as soon as the first quarter of 2024. The order isn't limited to the EH216-S, which is the passenger air taxi version. It also includes the EH216-L, which is the logistics configuration of the Chinese eVTOL, and the EH216-F, which is configured for firefighting.
The Chinese AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) company seems determined to conquer the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area. Earlier this year, it launched another major partnership in UAE with the Abu Dhabi-based manufacturer Monarch Airplane Manufacturing. The goal was to set up the first eVTOL manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi. In addition to manufacturing, the large-scale facility would also include a command-and-control center for building dedicated infrastructure and managing autonomous air taxi and cargo drone operations.
In the meantime, EHang is ready to roll out the first EH216-S units before the end of this year and start delivering them to worldwide customers. The eVTOL maker also confirmed that during the initial phase, its autonomous air taxis will operate under certain safety restrictions. The first flights on new routes will be closely monitored, and the aircraft will gradually move from low-altitude to high-altitude flights.
The EH216-S is also the first eVTOL selected by a security institution in the EU. The Spanish Police broke the ice at the end of last year when it decided to add the Chinese eVTOL to its current fleet.
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