Urban air mobility company EHang Holdings has successfully obtained the Production Certificate (PC) for its EH216-S passenger-carrying pilotless electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), which is the world's first PC granted in the global eVTOL industry. Following the groundbreaking obtaining of the Type Certificate (TC) and the Standard Airworthiness Certificate (AC) for the EH216-S, this achievement is another significant leap towards mass production for the eVTOL aircraft and the following commercial operations.

The PC granting ceremony was held at the International Conference Center of Huangpu District, Guangzhou. Distinguished guests included Yinsong Xian, district mayor of Huangpu District, Guangzhou; Wei Wang, deputy mayor of Yunfu City, Guangdong Province; Heyong Lin, director of the Airworthiness Division of the Central-South Regional Administration of the CAAC; and Huazhi Hu, founder, chairman and CEO of EHang.

The PC is a critical certificate issued by CAAC, the Chinese aviation authority, to the aircraft manufacturer. Securing this certificate indicates that EHang has established a mass production quality management system that meets the CAAC's airworthiness regulatory requirements and the company has been authorised for continued mass production. It is also a robust assurance for the product quality produced by EHang. The mass production quality management system for the EH216-S encompasses raw materials, supplier management, production organisation, production quality control, aircraft pre-delivery test, after-sales repair and maintenance. The system establishes clear guidelines and documentation for every step in the production procedure, ensuring comprehensive traceability and safety control to guarantee that each aircraft and its components rolling off the production line are in strict compliance with the approved type design and safety requirements.

During the PC certification process, the review team of the Central-South Regional Administration of the CAAC conducted a comprehensive document review and on-site verification and validation from multiple perspectives of quality, production, testing and after-sales, based upon the Regulations on Certification of Civil Aviation Products and Parts and the Production Approval and Supervision Procedures. This included a strict and thorough assessment of EHang's production capabilities and quality management system, including a total of 19 elements, such as organisational management, design documents control, personnel capabilities and qualifications, supplier management, production process control, inspection and testing.

Heyong Lin, director of the Airworthiness Division of the Central-South Regional Administration of the CAAC, states: “In the past six months, EHang's EH216-S has secured three groundbreaking achievements in airworthiness certification: the world's first TC, PC and Standard AC for the passenger-carrying UAV. EHang epitomises a pioneering enterprise of new business model in the central and southern region, representing new quality productive forces. The Central and Southern Regional Administration of the CAAC is dedicated to offering steadfast support to EHang, bolstering the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.”

Dan Xu, deputy district mayor of Huangpu District, Guangzhou, adds: “We are glad to witness this important milestone for the EH216-S, signifying it has entered into mass production from the design and development stage. It also marks a significant stride towards the industrialisation of the manufacturing sector in the low-altitude economy industry. We believe the collaborative efforts of pioneering low-altitude enterprises like EHang and governments, will infuse the industry with momentum and confidence, propelling the low-altitude economy towards a prosperous future.”

Huazhi Hu, founder, chairman and CEO of EHang, remarks: “The issuance of the PC is pivotal for the EH216-S as it opens the door to mass production and is a crucial step for our advancement towards commercial operations. As of today, the EH216-S has secured the TC, PC, and Standard AC from the CAAC. All the notable accomplishments relied on the collaboration and tireless efforts of the CAAC's expert team and EHang's team, and reflected our collective innovation, wisdom and expertise in aircraft design, manufacturing, quality management and other fields. With the PC as the starting point, we are poised to gradually expand production and delivery to meet escalating market demands. Our vision is to introduce safe and reliable pilotless eVTOL aircraft to the global market, thereby offering safe, autonomous and eco-friendly air mobility services to everyone.”