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 has become the first nation to approve commercial eVTOL operations, with EHang receiving full regulatory certification, including air operator certificates, for its self-flying EH216-S aircraft.
Initial "human-carrying" flights for aerial tourism and sightseeing are now available in Guangzhou and Hefei, marking a significant step towards China's "low-altitude economy."
Despite billions in investment by American manufacturers, the U.S. lags behind China in regulatory approvals for commercial eVTOL passenger service, with current launch targets for 2025 deemed highly unlikely.
The two countries employ differing strategies: China prioritizes certifying self-flying eVTOLs with strong state support, while the U.S. focuses on crewed models with primarily private funding.

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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.