EHang eVTOL takes off in Abu Dhabi
EHang & Abu Dhabi partner Multi Level conduct eVTOL test flight
#UAE #airtaxis - Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has partnered with Chinese aviation company EHang and UAE-based Multi Level Group to conduct a new test flight of a passenger electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the emirate. EHang and Multi Level previously conducted a test flights in May 2024 at the Emirates Falcons Aviation Club in Abu Dhabi. On Friday, ADIO collaborated with EHang to demonstrate the EH216-S autonomous aircraft, which received the world's first type certificate for pilotless passenger eVTOLs from China's aviation authority. EHang confirmed plans to establish regional operations in Abu Dhabi, including a manufacturing assembly line and support facilities.
SO WHAT? - In December 2023, EHang signed a partnership agreement with Wings Logistics Hub (a subsidiary of Multi Level Group), which included plans to purchase up to 100 eVTOL units. An agreement was also signed with Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (“SAVI”) Cluster,, where the aircraft manufacturer plans to open its regional operations. The test flight held in conjunction with ADIO on Friday signals that plans for EHang’s new Abu Dhabi operations are on track and highlights the emirate’s commitment to introducing passenger-carrying eVTOLs.
Here are some key point regarding EHang’s expansion into the Middle East:
NASDAQ-listed urban air mobility technology platform EHang and Multi Level Group, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), conducted a public flight demonstration on Friday, under the oversight of the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority.
EHang’s EH216-S, the aircraft used in the test flight, represents the world's first certified, pilotless, two-seater eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft, combining full autonomy with electric propulsion for zero-emission aerial mobility in urban environments.
The EH216-S features eight arms with 16 propellers powered by 32 independent electric motors, ensuring high redundancy and operational safety for passenger transport applications.
The aircraft is designed for sightseeing, short-distance connections, and tourism applications, operating with minimal noise and requiring no traditional runway infrastructure for urban deployment.
EHang confirmed plans to establish regional operations in Abu Dhabi, including final aircraft assembly facilities and support infrastructure, supported by ADIO's investment promotion initiatives.
The test flight validated critical technologies including hot-weather performance in Abu Dhabi's climate, airspace coordination, route planning, and vertiport operations for commercial deployment.
The demonstration builds on EHang's May 2024 test flights and 2023 partnership announcement with Wings Logistics Hub, which is a subsidiary of Multi Level Ggroup, together with plans to purchase up to 100 EH216 series eVTOLs.
EHang also signed up for Abu Dhabi's Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries cluster in Masdar City, a new economic zone designed to establish the emirate as a regional hub for autonomous vehicle technologies.
ZOOM OUT - Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a global hub for urban air mobility by securing partnerships with major eVTOL manufacturers. Over the past two years it has signed agreement with EHang, Archer Aviation, and Joby Aviation. California-based Archer signed a 2023 memorandum to establish its first international headquarters and manufacturing facilities in the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster, planning air taxi services by 2026 with partners including Falcon Aviation and EDGE Group. New York-listed Joby Aviation followed in 2024 with a multilateral agreement involving Abu Dhabi's transport, economic development, and tourism departments to establish and scale air taxi services between the emirate and neighboring Dubai.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]