EHang has completed its first passenger-carrying autonomous flight demonstration in Japan using its EH216 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
This also marks the first passenger-carrying flight for an autonomous eVTOL aircraft in Japan.
On 17 February, the EH216 transported two passengers with no pilot onboard.
It flew along the coastline of Tanoura Beach in Oita city, with approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Kirino Hiroshi, Chairman of the Okayama Kurashiki Mizushima Aero & Space Industry Cluster Study Group, said:EH216 is a leader in the eVTOL field with extensive experience in passenger-carrying flights. This successful flight test of EH216 in Oita Prefecture has shown us the possibilities of experiencing the beauty and pleasure the skies offer without a pilot. We look forward to EH216's flight tests in more cities, and the future when EH216 can be deployed and applied in Japan.
In July 2022, EH216 also completed Japan’s first eVTOL point-to-point demo flight.
This achievement followed the aircraft’s first autonomous flight demo in Bali, Indonesia at the end of 2021.
Sato Kiichiro, Mayor of Oita, Oita Prefecture, Japan, said:Last July, EH216 completed its Japan’s first point-to-point trial flight in Oita, receiving overwhelming responses. Today, EH216 takes on the challenge of passenger-carrying flight here, and I am very pleased to witness this moment. I hope that today’s passenger-carrying flight test will accelerate autonomous aerial vehicles to take a further step toward practical use cases, so that this industry full of opportunities could be in full swing.
