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It looks incredible and it’s ready to support incredible things: the brand-new vertiport built at EHang’s Luohu UAM Center in China is probably one of the most advanced and futuristic ones worldwide.
The first month of 2025 marked one of the most impressive milestones for Chinese UAM (urban air mobility) company EHang. An EH216-S aircraft (EHang’s flagship) performed an amazing demonstration in front of a huge crowd, starting with the take-off from the brand-new vertiport housed by the Luohu UAM Center, continuing with a lap over the Luohu Sports and Leisure Park and ending with a smooth landing.
It was officially the pilotless eVTOL’s first flight at the Luohu UAM Center, marking the official launch of EHang’s Experience Center.
This Center was designed by EHang and built in collaboration with the Shenzen Municipality. The Luohu Sports and Leisure Park was specifically selected for its amazing landscapes and natural resources, which make it an ideal location for the so-called “low-altitude” sightseeing tourism. This emerging sector focuses on innovative, new-generation aircraft such as EHang’s autonomous eVTOL.
The most innovative and attractive part of this Experience Center is the futuristic vertiport that was specifically designed for the EH216-S. What makes it so unique is the vertical-lift, three-dimensional structure and the fact that it’s fully automated (just like the aircraft itself).
The special vertical structure means that the eVTOL is literally lifted from the first floor to the second floor via a dedicated platform in order to take off. The take-off and landing pad is also equipped for rapid charging, which helps maintain a smooth operational flow. The first floor, which houses the hangar, also doubles as a boarding area, and it’s designed to ensure the best, most effortless experience for passengers.
Apart from the streamlined functionality and exceptional look of the new vertiport, the three-dimensional structure and automated operations also ensure greater cost efficiency; a vertiport like this doesn’t just have a considerably smaller footprint, but it also brings all the benefits of replacing human labor with automated operations.
Overall, the Luohu UAM Center unfolds over 753 square meters (8,105 square feet), surrounded by the spectacular landscapes of the Luohu Sports and Leisure Park.
This first vertiport is only the beginning of a large-scale smart infrastructure plan. In just two years, 100 new take-off and landing sites will be added across Shenzen, 32 of which are specifically dedicated to passenger-carrying aircraft.
The EH216-S is a compact, two-passenger eVTOL designed to cover up to 22 miles (35 km) at a maximum speed of 80.7 mph (130 kph). It operates at a low altitude of 9,800 feet (3,000 meters), and its batteries are fully recharged in two hours. Most importantly, this Chinese aircraft officially became the world’s first pilot-free eVTOL for passenger transportation to receive the TC (type certificate) in 2023. Later, EHang also obtained the AC (Standard Airworthiness Certificate) and the PC (Production Certificate) for the EH216-S.
