FutureFlight
EHang Reports Progress With Type Certification of Autonomous EH216-S eVTOL Aircraft
The company says that Chinese aviation safety regulators have now approved the Project Specific Certification Plan and that compliance testing will be stepped up in October.
EHang says it has made over 30,000 test flights with its EH216-S eVTOL aircraft.
EHang says it is starting a new phase of compliance and verification flight testing with its EH216-S eVTOL aircraft. (Image: EHang)

EHang is stepping up compliance and verification test flights with its EH216-S as part of the type certification process for the two-seat autonomous eVTOL aircraft agreed with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). On September 30, the Guangzhou-based company reported that the regulator has approved what it called the Project Specific Certification Plan, based on the confirmation of multiple aspects of the program, including performance and flight, structural strength, design and configuration, airborne human-computer interaction, the functioning of the ground control station, and continuing airworthiness.

In February 2022, the CAAC formally adopted the special condition rules under which it intends to certify the passenger-carrying -S model of the all-electric EH216 vehicle. In its latest update, EHang said it has now logged more than 30,000 trial flights with prototype aircraft to date, with recent tests having generated positive results covering factors such as aerodynamic algorithms and safety margins. It added that some test flights have been conducted in extreme environments such as high altitudes, deserts, heavy fog, and even typhoon weather conditions.