EHang is to collaborate on cultivating skilled personnel, including operators and maintenance staff, for its pilotless eVTOL aircraft, along with their training for personnel licences and operational supervision, with the Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC).

This partnership aims to address the surging demand for talent in the low-altitude economy and foster the sustainable, high-quality development of the civil unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry. It builds upon the CAFUC’s extensive expertise in civil aviation education, research and talent development.

EHang COO Zhao Wang says: “A comprehensive ecosystem for safe operation of UAVs requires continuous investment in professional talent development, establishing a new civil aviation talent development system that meets industry needs. Our partnership with CAFUC will focus on improving industry awareness, professional knowledge, core skills, psychological quality, safety awareness and policy understanding during the courses, and will develop a systematic, professional and multi-dimensional talent cultivation programme. Through systematic teaching at professional institutions, it will further solidify and enhance professionals’ understanding of safety systems for UAVs. As a trailblazer in the low-altitude economy, EHang will provide course instruction and technical support for UAVs, and work with the CAFUC to build a robust platform for industry-academic integration.

“Together, we will advance talent cultivation, licence training, standard formulation and innovative outcome transformation to cultivate high-level talents with professional skills and innovative spirit. This will also enable us to make sufficient preparations for the upcoming commercial operations of the EH216-S and provide support for the rapid development of China’s low-altitude economy and the global eVTOL industry.”

It is estimated that China faces a talent shortage of up to one million people in the field. CAFUC, a university jointly built by China’s CAA and the government of Sichuan Province, is known as the ‘Cradle of Chinese Civil Aviation Pilots’. As one of the first universities in China to open a major in UAV system engineering, the CAFUC has been an academic pioneer deeply involved in developing pilot licensing frameworks, formulating regulations and standards, and training practices for civil UAV operators.

EHang recently obtained three airworthiness certificates from the CAAC for its EH216-S passenger-carrying eVTOL. The company is actively assisting its clients worldwide in preparation for commercial operations, which includes training UAV operators and maintenance personnel, applying for Air Operator Certificates, as well as designing and planning operational sites.

EHang and CAFUC will jointly establish a framework for industry-academia research cooperation, and will launch a demonstration programme for licence management by large civil UAV operators. Guided by the CAAC, CAFUC and EHang aim to optimise licensing training and examination mechanisms. Both parties will also combine academic education and vocational training, enabling graduates to obtain both basic licences for large UAVs and EH216-S operator licenses. This ensures a steady talent pipeline of eVTOL operational management professionals for EHang.

CAFUC and EHang also plan to explore the setting up of a training institution to address the industry’s talent gap by jointly offering operator and maintenance staff licences for large civil UAVs. In the future, based on practical experience in commercial operations, EHang and CAFUC will actively participate in the formulation of regulations and standards under the leadership of the CAAC. They will also engage in multi-field and multi-level cooperation in science popularisation, research, teaching, scientific research and the transformation of results, jointly leading the development of the industry.

Qingru Tang, vice president of CAFUC, says: “CAFUC has a comprehensive system to train urgently-needed talents in areas such as flight, operations, maintenance, flight management and emergency response for the low-altitude economy. We will leverage our high-quality educational resources and extensive teaching experience to support EHang’s talent pool and research capabilities, offering students a platform for growth and advancing UAV technology and innovation for the low-altitude economy.”