EHang announced it has signed a deal with the Jingyue High-tech Industrial Development Zone to develop a provincial-level demonstration zone for low-altitude economic area. The platform company, Jilin Aerospace Industry Development Investment, agrees to place an order for 41 units of EHang’s EH216-S pilotless eVTOLs that will be deployed for low-altitude sightseeing, urban emergency response, and city traffic management operations, supporting Changchun’s vision to become a regional leader in low-altitude economic development and to accelerate growth across Jilin Province.
Changchun is one of the pioneering cities designated for low-altitude airspace management reform in China and has actively promoted this sector in recent years. The “Changchun Action Plan for Promoting High-Quality Development of the Low-Altitude Economy (2024-2026)” sets three strategic goals: ensuring safe flight operations, expanding use case scenarios, and driving industrial growth. The plan aims to create multiple application cases by 2025 and grow the city’s low-altitude economy to RMB3 billion by 2026.
Jingyue Hi-tech Zone serves as the core hub in Changchun’s spatial framework for developing the low-altitude economy. Recognized as both a National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone and the city’s ecological and cultural center, Jingyue features rich tourism resources – including Jingyuetan National Forest Park and Changying Century City, two nationally rated 5A scenic attractions in Jilin Province. These unique advantages make the zone an ideal location for pioneering integrated “low-altitude + tourism” application scenarios.
Jingyue High-Tech Zone, currently the pilot region in China selected under the national “Regulatory Sandbox for Low-Altitude Economy” initiative jointly launched by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), has established a comprehensive aerial digital infrastructure spanning Northeast China (the three provinces and one autonomous region). This system integrates airspace management, low-altitude digital coding, satellite communications, and computing power core nodes, providing localised data support for EHang’s collaboration with Jingyue to build a provincial-scale low-altitude command and dispatch platform. This initiative will enable efficient management and safe operations of low-altitude aircraft, laying a robust data management foundation for future large-scale, routine urban air mobility (UAM) operations.
Jingyue High-Tech Zone is also developing an “Integrated Aerospace Triad” industrial ecosystem, comprising: a low-altitude smart connectivity test site for extreme cold climates, an aerospace big data industrial park, and an aerospace equipment smart manufacturing hub. EHang will contribute to the planning, design, and construction of the Low-altitude Intelligent Connected Cold-region Testing Site (Jilin Drone Inspection and Testing Center) in Jingyue Hi-tech Zone. Together with local partners, EHang will conduct cold-weather testing and collaborate on the development of airworthiness standards specifically for eVTOL aircraft in cold climates. Jingyue Hi-tech Zone will provide comprehensive support for EHang’s eVTOL R&D and testing activities in Jilin Province including favorable policies, funding, and talent incentives. In turn, EHang will assist in cultivating talent in the low-altitude economy sector, supporting the local industrial development and Jingyue’s distinctive low-altitude economy model, fostering a high-quality ecosystem for Changchun’s low-altitude economy.
Additionally, EHang plans to partner with Jingyue Hi-tech Zone to advance R&D and production of composite materials for low-altitude aircraft and eVTOL components. By leveraging the zone’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and collaborating with local industry leaders, EHang aims to produce lightweight, safety-compliant parts tailored to the practical demands of aircrafts.
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