FutureFlight
China's Aviation Regulator Establishes Unmanned Aviation Zones
Chinese eVTOL aircraft developer EHang will be one of the main beneficiaries of a decision by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
EHang Jilin
With the support of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, EHang has already been able to conduct extensive trial operations of its eVTOL aircraft in various locations including Jilin. (Photo: EHang)

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) this week confirmed that it has established the first in a series of Unmanned Civil Aviation Experimental Zones (UCAEZs) to encourage the development of autonomous aircraft and applications such as urban air mobility (UAM). The initial set of UCAEZs cover 13 cities across China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hezhou, Hangzhou, Zigong, Anyang, Nanjing, Tianjin, Yulin, Shenyang, Dongying, Anqing, and Ganzhou.

The development was announced on October 28 by Chinese eVTOL aircraft developer EHang, which stands to be one of the main beneficiaries of the move. With CAAC approval, the company has been conducting trial operations with its two-seat 216 Autonomous Aerial Vehicle in several locations including Hezhou, Yulin, and Tianjin.