Chinese air mobility firm EHang has completed the first flights of its EH216-S pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Switzerland.

This expands EHang’s global flight footprint to 22 countries. The flights in Quinto, Ticino, demonstrated the potential of autonomous eVTOL technology to overcome mountainous terrain while supporting the future application in regional logistics and tourism.

The flights were conducted in cooperation with the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), the Municipality of Quinto, and DroneVia, EHang’s project partner in Switzerland. This milestone represents a step towards building the safe and long-term deployment of advanced air mobility (AAM) across the country and towards operational validation, airworthiness certification, airspace management and commercial operations.

Switzerland’s topography – characterised by Alpine terrain, rugged valleys and lakes – offers favourable conditions for the deployment of autonomous electric aviation. EHang intends to focus on demonstration scenarios in which the EH216-S could complement Switzerland’s existing mobility networks, with the aim of providing a sustainable, efficient supplement to traditional transportation. EHang believes the potential applications may extend to passenger transportation, eco-tourism, regional logistics and emergency response missions.

Building on these flights, EHang and its Swiss partners intend to work progressively with regulatory authorities and local stakeholders to evaluate future commercial deployment opportunities while promoting infrastructural integration.

The EH216-S pilotless human-carrying eVTOL aircraft is designed for autonomous flight and short-to-medium-distance aerial transportation.

“For the first time in Switzerland, attendees were able to witness the flights of EH216-S, one of the most advanced eVTOL aircraft,” said Paolo Franchini, CEO of DroneVia. “Technologies that seemed like distant visions until just a few years ago are now a reality, opening up entirely new prospects for transporting people and goods, logistics, tourism and public services in the Alpine region.”

Norman Gobbi, president of the Council of State of the Canton of Ticino, Switzerland, added: “Drones capable of transporting goods and people are, in fact, creating new opportunities for mobility in Alpine areas, supporting businesses on mountain pastures, and solving logistical challenges in hard-to-reach areas. We must have the courage to embrace and try out new solutions in our Alpine valleys, which can help improve accessibility across our mountain areas.”

And Victoria Jing Xiang, chief operating officer of EHang (www.ehang.com) in Europe and Latin America, said: “We believe this sustainable technology expands advanced mobility options, enhancing regional connectivity, supporting eco-tourism and overcoming challenging Alpine terrains to complement traditional transportation. Looking ahead, EHang is committed to deepening the collaboration with local authorities and our Swiss partners, working hand in hand to safely integrate autonomous flight into the national mobility ecosystem, bringing us closer to our vision of making safe, efficient and sustainable air mobility accessible to everyone.”