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Hang Holdings has completed its first urban passenger flight with a pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the EH216-S, in Bangkok, Thailand.
The flight, which was conducted under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), forms part of Thailand’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Sandbox Initiative.
The event took place at Siam Commercial Bank’s headquarters in central Bangkok.
CAAT Director General and Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon participated in the demonstration, marking the first occasion a civil aviation authority chief has boarded a pilotless eVTOL for an urban flight.
Chavanaprayoon said: “The advanced technology and autonomous safety performance demonstrated by the EH216-S are impressive.
“This flight demonstration represents not only a significant milestone in the development of AAM technologies which is expected to transform future air transportation systems, but forms part of Thailand’s ongoing efforts to become an aviation hub in the region.”
The EH216-S carried out multiple take-offs, landings, and route flights as part of the demonstration.
The testing process involved close cooperation between EHang’s team, led by senior vice president Hu Longxuan and CAAT personnel.
The joint team conducted scenario-based safety tests and technical exchanges to evaluate areas such as flight safety management, product technology, after-sales support, and operational procedures.
EHang noted that the aircraft’s performance in various conditions supports its case for readiness to move towards commercial operations as part of the AAM Sandbox Initiative.
It indicated that this activity demonstrates progress towards commercialising advanced air mobility operations in Thailand.
According to the company, the demonstration also served as a first international validation of the EH216-S’s emergency safety capabilities.
EHang chief financial officer Conor Yang said: “This event represents a key practical achievement of EHang’s overseas strategy. By continuously advancing human-carrying flights under the Sandbox Initiative in core urban scenarios such as Bangkok, EHang will further assist the Thai government and CAAT in improving Thailand’s AAM operation and regulatory framework.”
EHang plans further expansion within Thailand by working with local partners to increase coverage to destinations such as Pattaya, Phuket, and Koh Samui.
The company aims to build a route network for urban mobility and aerial tourism.
EH216-S previously secured type certification, production certification, and standard airworthiness certification from China’s Civil Aviation Administration.
Since launching trial operations in Thailand in late 2024 and formally establishing its AAM Sandbox Initiative in October 2025, EHang has focused on safety oversight during its pilotless point-to-point flights in urban areas.
Last month, EHang unveiled the VT35, a long-range, pilotless eVTOL aircraft, during an event in Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
