China Approves Passenger Operations With Self-Flying Electric Aircraft

Paying customers can now take EHang’s EH216-S for a spin, marking a new phase in China’s low-altitude economy.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, April 01, 2025 at 03:31 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Customers in the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Hefei can purchase tickets for a tourism or sightseeing flight in EHang’s self-flying EH216-S. [Courtesy: EHang]

Key Takeaways:

China's EHang has achieved a global first by receiving full regulatory approvals, including air operator certificates, for human-carrying eVTOL operations with its EH216-S in Guangzhou and Hefei, initially for aerial tourism.
American eVTOL manufacturers have invested billions, but the U.S. FAA has not yet authorized any design for commercial passenger service, making early U.S. air taxi launches "highly unlikely" by 2025.
China and the U.S. have distinct approaches: China prioritizes self-flying eVTOLs with significant state support, aiming for a "low-altitude economy," while the U.S. focuses on crewed operations first, relying mainly on private backing, with military applications potentially preceding commercial use.

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A crop of American aircraft manufacturers has poured billions of dollars in venture capital into a design they believe will fundamentally change the way people move through cities: the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. As soon as this year, the aircraft could begin flying passengers in cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. But the first eVTOL to carry paying customers will debut in China.

In a major development for the industry, eVTOL manufacturer EHang on Sunday said the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) awarded air operator certificates to its subsidiaries EHang General Aviation in Guangzhou and HeYi Aviation in Hefei. The initial approvals authorize the world’s first human-carrying operations with an electric, self-flying aircraft: EHang’s EH216-S. Customers in Guangzhou and Hefei can now buy tickets for aerial tourism, sightseeing, and experiential flights.