EH216-S Flies Passenger Between Port of Doha and Katara in Qatar Partnership

EHang has logged a major milestone in the development of its pilotless air taxi, logging its first human-carrying flight in the urban Middle East. Working alongside Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, the company flew its EH216-S autonomously between the Port of Doha and Katara Cultural Village in a series of trials designed to validate real-world air taxi operations.

The flights demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to bypass surface congestion and complete the 30-minute roadway trip as an eight-minute zero-emission aerial shuttle.

“These groundbreaking flights mark the first-ever trial operations of a pilotless eVTOL aircraft for passenger transport in a Middle Eastern city center,” said Victoria Jing Xiang, COO for Europe and LatAm at EHang. “We sincerely thank the MOT and the Civil Aviation Authority of Qatar for their vision, support, and trust. Together, we are building a safe, intelligent, and efficient regional AAM ecosystem.”

The campaign centered on the difficult task of getting regulators to take autonomous flight systems seriously, proving that the EH216-S can reliably execute point-to-point operations in dense urban regions. Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority boldly allowed the test program to proceed within the city center for a more realistic look at operations.

According to Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, the tests were a major step toward smart, low-carbon mobility. Integrating aerial mobility into the country’s wider transportation network aims to support Qatar National Vision 2030 by diversifying infrastructure, reducing emissions, and improving efficiency.

Moving forward, the partners plan to evaluate additional phases, including route development, infrastructure, approval of operational systems, and safety assurance processes. Potential next milestones include airport-to-city shuttle routes, tourism-focused air taxi corridors, and expanded integration of eVTOL aircraft into Qatar’s transportation planning.

EHang is a China-based developer and manufacturer of pilotless eVTOL aircraft that target urban passenger transport, tourism, logistics, and emergency response applications. Its flagship EH216-S holds one of the world’s first type certificates, production certificates, and standard airworthiness certificates for a pilotless passenger-carrying eVTOL. The company is also promoting its long-range VT35 platform for low-altitude mobility.

FMI: www.ehang.com