Flying Taxi Takes Demo Flight in Costa Rica; Pilotless

A Chinese eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle maker conducted a demonstration flight of its pilotless flying vehicle in Latin America.

EHang Holdings flew its EH216 electric aerial vehicle (EAV) at the Reserva Conchal Resort in Costa Rica.

The flight was held in front of national authorities and media to help promote advanced air mobility (AAM) in the region.

“EHang is pleased to see EH216-S pilotless eVTOL flying for the first time in Latin America, demonstrating safe, efficient and sustainable advanced air mobility for everybody, in Costa Rica,” said Victoria Xiang, chief operating officer of EHang Europe and Latin America. “We are convinced of the enormous benefits that EHang´s UAM technology can bring to Latin America, and we are determined to continue collaborating closely with local stakeholders of the region, for making this new means of air mobility accessible to everybody in the continent.”

The flight demonstration was organized by Bluenest by Globalvia, a vertiport networks manager, and a subsidiary of a private airport operator.

The demonstration aimed to highlight the EAV suitability for aerial tourism.

EHang recently flew a group of 12 EAVs together in China.

In a video, the 12 flying vehicles took off together from an airfield in Hefei, China, on what appeared to be a snowy day.

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The video showed the vehicles all lifting straight up at the same time, flying in different groups, flying over the airfield and then all landing in a row at the same time.

The $410,000 EHang vehicle is approved for flying passengers.

The EH216-S EAV previously received a standard airworthiness certificate (AC) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the first of its kind globally for an EAV.

The long-range goal of the flying vehicles industry is to have EAVs evolve from piloted vehicles, such as the coming air taxis, to aerial vehicles that fly automatically, with no crew onboard. 

While some EAV makers such as Wisk in the U.S. are planning to start this way in the future, it is not in the most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) electric aerial vehicle planning documents.

EHang has been active in marketing its pilotless vehicles globally.

The company recently delivered an EAV to Eton, an aviation technology subsidiary of Guangzhou Development District Communications Investment Group, which is managed by the government of Huangpu District in Guangzhou.

The plan is to use the EAV for aerial tourism in Guangzhou.

EHang also extended its operations to the United Arab Emirates including the sale of up to 100 of its EAVs.

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EHang joined the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries Cluster in Abu Dhabi and formed a partnership with Wings Logistics Hub, a passenger eVTOL subsidiary of Technology Holding Company.

The cluster, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, aims to establish Abu Dhabi as a hub for smart and autonomous vehicles. 

As part of this new agreement, EHhang plans to work with Wings Logistics to obtain local certification of its EAV in the UAE.