Passengers take pilotless demonstration flights in Bangkok
EHang Holdings have this week completed debut passenger flights of its EH216-S pilotless electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in central Bangkok.
With the permission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) the company is also planning to conduct flight tests on EH216-S in Thailand and launch commercial flight operations in regions such as Phuket and Koh Samui by 2025.
With the leadership of the CAAT and support of the Ministry of Transport of Thailand, EHang was invited to participate in the Thailand Drone Exhibition & Symposium, where they conducted passenger flights for three consecutive days under a Demonstration Flight Permit issued by the CAAT.
Thailand is a country with many islands and it is hoped the EH216-S can provide efficient and accessible island-hopping air transportation services, meeting demands for transportation solutions in the tourism industry.
Mr. Suttipong Kongpool, Director of the CAAT, stated: ‘This demo flights marks significant progress in integrating UAM solutions into Thailand’s aviation industry. EHang’s EH216-S is currently the world’s only eVTOL with airworthiness certificates, and we look forward to its commercial flight operations in certain areas of Thailand next year, which will serve as significant contribution to Thailand’s UAM roadmap development plan.’
Mr. Conor Yang, CFO of EHang said: ‘The debut passenger flights of our EH216-S pilotless eVTOL in Thailand is a key milestone in EHang’s ongoing international development and that is a strong boost in promoting the transformation of global advanced urban air mobility. We aim to apply our pilotless eVTOL products and solutions in the Southeast Asian market. In the future, with the strong support of the CAAT, we will cooperate with our local partners to formulate a model for regular UAM operations in Thailand, contributing to the development of the urban air mobility market in Southeast Asia and worldwide.’
