EH216-S wraps up Central Asian pilotless human-carrying eVTOL flight

EHang announced that its flagship EH216-S successfully completed Central Asia’s first pilotless human-carrying flight of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft in Astana, Kazakhstan. During the Games of the Future 2026 (“GOTF2026”), the EH216-S conducted multiple route flights over the event venue in Astana, carrying Nurlan Sauranbayev, Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan. In June 2026, Kazakhstan proactively established a national initial regulatory framework for eVTOL aircraft, vertiports, and unmanned aircraft traffic management systems (“UTM”). Two months later, the EH216-S completed its first pilotless human-carrying flight under this regulatory framework, demonstrating EHang’s technical capabilities in rapidly supporting safe and compliant human-carrying flights across diverse regulatory environments worldwide. In 2025, EHang signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Allur Group, one of Kazakhstan’s largest automotive manufacturers, to jointly develop emerging markets for AAM solutions in Central Asia. According to the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, the first phase of the project will focus on demonstration and tourist flights lasting between five and 30 minutes, showcasing the country’s natural, cultural, and historical landmarks. In the future, the autonomous aircraft could become part of the urban transportation network, complementing existing modes of transportation. To date, EHang’s EH216-S has expanded its flight footprint to 23 countries across five continents, marking Kazakhstan as the latest addition and demonstrating its adaptability to diverse climates, geographic environments, and airspace conditions. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]