Anhui looks to commercialize passenger eVTOL

An EH216-S pilotless passenger eVTOL aircraft flies over Luogang Park in Hefei, Anhui province, March 2026. [Photo courtesy of Hey Airlines]

Nasdaq-listed air mobility company EHang has completed over 5,000 pilotless passenger flights in Hefei, Anhui province, with its EH216-S aircraft, laying a solid foundation for future commercial operations, according to Fei Weixin, an executive at the company's Hefei branch.

In 2024, EHang partnered with the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Hefei to create Hey Airlines, a joint venture for specialized low-altitude transport.

The next year, Hey Airlines received an operating certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China for pilotless passenger flights. The EH216-S had already been granted type, airworthiness and production certificates, giving the venture all the qualifications required for such operations.

Fei said pilotless passenger flights require the highest safety standards, and the company has built multiple layers of redundancy into the aircraft to ensure safe operation in complex environments. The EH216-S, for example, is equipped with 16 rotors, allowing it to continue flying safely in the event of some rotor failures.

The aircraft also appeared at the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, where a formation of 16 EH216-S aircraft took part in a performance at the Hefei sub-venue.

The EH216-S is quieter than a traditional helicopter and produces no emissions, making it better suited to urban settings. It can take off and land on rooftops, in open spaces inside parks and beside transportation hubs.

Hey Airlines' fleet also includes the EH216-F firefighting aircraft and the EH216-L logistics aircraft.

Fei said the company is also developing supporting industries in Hefei, such as training and maintenance, to enable the healthy development of the low-altitude industrial chain.