EH216-S Pilotless eVTOL Completes Debut Passenger Flights in Thailand, with Flights Tests and Commercial Operations Forthcoming
GUANGZHOU, China, Nov. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EHang Holdings Limited ("EHang" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:EH), the world's leading Urban Air Mobility ("UAM") technology platform company, today announced that its EH216-S pilotless electric vertical takeoff and landing ("eVTOL") aircraft completed debut passenger flights in Thailand at the renowned Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in central Bangkok. The flights mark a new milestone for expanding EHang's eVTOL flight footprint to the 18th country globally. With the permission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand ("CAAT"), the Company is also planning to conduct flight tests on EH216-S in Thailand and launch commercial flight operations in various regions such as Phuket and Koh Samui by 2025, to collaboratively open Thailand's low-altitude airspace and air mobility market.
(Picture: EH216-S Debut Passenger Flights in Bangkok, Thailand)
With the leadership of the CAAT and support of the Ministry of Transport of Thailand, EHang was invited to participate in the Thailand Drone Exhibition & Symposium 2024. Here, EHang conducted passenger flights for three consecutive days with the Demonstration Flight Permit issued by the CAAT. Mr. Phasu Manipanti, CEO of Sky Image Tech, EHang's partner in Thailand, Mr. Sorasit Thongjeen, First Officer, Flight Operations of Bangkok Airways among other passengers took a ride on the EH216-S. This ground-breaking flight event was also witnessed by the distinguished guests including Mr. Chaiyatham Promsorn, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Transport of Thailand; Mr. Tao Ma, Director of the International Civil Aviation Organization; Mr. Shijun Yin, Vice President of Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the former Chief Engineer of the Civil Aviation Administration of China; Mr. Suttipong Kongpool, Director of the CAAT and Mr. Kajonpat Maklin, Deputy Director of the CAAT.
The EH216-S is capable of vertical take-off and landing, eliminating the need for traditional airport runways, and can conduct point-to-point air transportation in city centers, effectively alleviating Thailand's issues with ground traffic congestion. Additionally, Thailand is a country with many islands and abundant tourism resources. Traditional water transportation methods are time-consuming, and the application of EH216-S can provide efficient and accessible island-hopping air transportation services, meeting demands for transportation solutions in the tourism industry.
The CAAT plans to open flight tests for certified eVTOLs in various locations in Thailand, and in 2025, will target to open commercial flight operations for certified eVTOLs in certain areas, such as Phuket and Koh Samui, to jointly promote the nation's opening of low-altitude airspace and air mobility market.
Mr. Suttipong Kongpool, Director of the CAAT, stated: "This demo flights marks significant progress in integrating UAM solutions into Thailand's aviation industry. EHang's EH216-S is currently the world's only eVTOL with airworthiness certificates, and we look forward to its commercial flight operations in certain areas of Thailand next year, which will serve as significant contribution to Thailand's UAM roadmap development plan."
(Picture: Mr. Conor Yang, CFO of EHang, delivering a speech at the Thailand Drone Exhibition & Symposium 2024)
Mr. Conor Yang, CFO of EHang, stated, "The debut passenger flights of our EH216-S pilotless eVTOL in Thailand is a key milestone in EHang's ongoing international development and that is a strong boost in promoting the transformation of global advanced urban air mobility. We aim to apply our pilotless eVTOL products and solutions in the Southeast Asian market. In the future, with the strong support of the CAAT, we will cooperate with our local partners to formulate a model for regular UAM operations in Thailand, contributing to the development of the urban air mobility market in Southeast Asia and worldwide."
About EHang
EHang (NASDAQ:EH) is the world's leading urban air mobility ("UAM") technology platform company. Our mission is to enable safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly air mobility accessible to everyone. EHang provides customers in various industries with unmanned aerial vehicle ("UAV") systems and solutions: air mobility (including passenger transportation and logistics), smart city management, and aerial media solutions. EHang's flagship product EH216-S has obtained the world's first type certificate, production certificate and standard airworthiness certificate for pilotless eVTOL issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. As the forerunner of cutting-edge UAV technologies and commercial solutions in the global UAM industry, EHang continues to explore the boundaries of the sky to make flying technologies benefit our life in smart cities. For more information, please visit www.ehang.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "likely to" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about management's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to those relating to certifications, our expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, our products and solutions and the commercialization of UAM services, our relationships with strategic partners, and current litigation and potential litigation involving us. Management has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While they believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond management's control. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause EHang's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
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