EHang Achieves First Pilotless Human-Carrying eVTOL Flight in Africa at the 9th Aviation Africa Summit

September 05, 2025

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EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH) ( "EHang" or  "the Company"), the world’s leading Urban Air Mobility ("UAM") technology company, announced that it successfully conducted the first-ever pilotless human-carrying flight of its EH216-S in Africa. This milestone took place during the 9th Aviation Africa Summit & Exhibition (the "Aviation Africa Summit") in Kigali, Rwanda, in collaboration with its strategic partner China Road and Bridge Corporation (“CRBC”). This marks a historic breakthrough for EHang as the first pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft to fly on the African continent.

The first pilotless flight of the EH216-S in Africa received strong support from the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (“RCAA”). Dignitaries including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Minister of Infrastructure Dr. Jimmy Gasore, RCAA Director General Silas Udahemuka, and Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wenqi Gao were present to witness this historic moment. Aviation representatives and media journalists from over 50 countries worldwide attended the flight ceremony, with Mr. Rucheng Lu, Chief Engineer of EHang, also accompanying the guests. Staff from the RCAA and reporters from China Media Group were the first group of passengers to experience the flights. This milestone not only marked a successful debut in Africa, but also expanded the EH216-S’s global flight footprint to 21 countries across five continents.

Key Remarks from Dignitaries:

• President Paul Kagame of Rwandan recognized EHang's leading technological innovation and the safe, reliable performance of the flight, stating, "This impressive flights will drive the development of low-altitude transportation in Africa." 
• Chinese Ambassador Wenqi Gao highlighted the flight as a symbol of deepening practical cooperation between China and Rwanda, emphasizing the role of this milestone in the broader context of China-Africa technological cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. 
• Minister of Infrastructure Dr. Jimmy Gasore expressed Rwanda’s commitment to embracing new transportation solutions, noting that this flight serves as a reference point for building a safe and advanced air mobility regulatory framework in the country. 

As one of Africa's largest annual aviation events, the Aviation Africa Summit focuses on aviation industry development, regional cooperation, and investment opportunities, facilitating global exchanges around topics such as new civil aviation applications. The EH216-S, displayed at the summit, attracted visitors from over 50 countries and regions across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Dignitaries such as President Paul Kagame, Chinese Ambassador Wenqi Gao visited EHang's booth, to discuss low-altitude economy cooperation and technological exchanges between China and Rwanda, expressing the willingness to work together for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes in emerging industries.

Source : EHang