EHang Holdings Limited, a leading Urban Air Mobility technology company, announced that it successfully conducted the first-ever pilotless human-carrying flight of its EH216-S in Africa. This milestone took place during the 9th Aviation Africa Summit & Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda, in collaboration with its strategic partner China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). This marks a historic breakthrough for EHang as the first pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft to fly on the African continent.
The first pilotless flight of the EH216-S in Africa received strong support from the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority. Dignitaries, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Minister of Infrastructure Dr. Jimmy Gasore, RCAA Director General Silas Udahemuka, and Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wenqi Gao were present to witness this historic moment, with Mr. Rucheng Lu, Chief Engineer of EHang, also accompanying the guests. This milestone not only marked a successful debut in Africa but also expanded the EH216-S’s global flight footprint to 21 countries across five continents.
Expansion Plans in Africa
Africa’s vast geography presents unique opportunities for low-altitude aviation, especially in remote and underserved regions. The successful debut flight of the EH216-S is not only a preview of its future deployment in practical commercial applications but also a demonstration of how air mobility can address transportation challenges, enhance economic growth, and improve livelihoods across the African continent. EHang will join hands with partners such as CRBC to actively expand into the African market, leveraging its advanced pilotless aerial vehicle technology and rich experience in low-altitude application practices, and jointly explore an advanced air mobility development model suitable for the African region.
As the strategic partner for the summit and flight, Qilin Huang, Head of CRBC’s Rwanda Office, stated, “The EH216-S flight is a brilliant showcase of China’s cutting-edge technology and new-quality productive forces in Africa. Looking forward, we will continue to explore eVTOL application scenarios in Africa and open up new opportunities in this emerging market.”
Mr. Rucheng Lu, Chief Engineer of EHang, commented, “With over 73,000 safe flights already completed, this first human-carrying flight in Africa demonstrates EHang’s outstanding technical capabilities and robust system safety, making an important step in accelerating our global expansion. Starting with the Aviation Africa Summit, EHang will continue to engage with African airlines, airports, civil aviation authorities, industry organisations, and aviation professionals, exploring innovative models and providing solutions that promote the development of Africa’s transportation, logistics, tourism and other sectors, and contribute to the better development of global new civil aviation.”
