EHang Showcases Global Fast Track Program at ICAO DGCA/61 to Accelerate Global Cooperation
EHang uses its EH216-S experience and regulatory sandbox projects to promote a faster, regulator-led pathway for eVTOL adoption across Asia-Pacific markets.
Rhea-AI Summary
EHang (EH) presented its Global Fast Track Program at the ICAO DGCA/61 conference in Kuala Lumpur, highlighting a regulatory sandbox pathway to accelerate pilotless eVTOL Advanced Air Mobility deployment across the Asia Pacific.
Drawing on the EH216-S aircraft’s full set of certifications, nearly 100,000 autonomous safe flights in 23 countries, and experience at over 40 sites in China, the Program is expected to compress market-entry cycles from years to months while keeping civil aviation authorities in full control. EHang is advancing sandbox projects with regulators in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong SAR, and multiple other civil aviation authorities visited its booth to explore adopting sandbox mechanisms and the Program in their own countries.
Positive
- EH216-S track record: nearly 100,000 autonomous safe flights across 23 countries and over 40 sites in China
- Compressed market entry: Global Fast Track Program expected to cut eVTOL market-entry cycles from years to months
- Thailand: working with CAAT toward a first commercial EH216-S flight by the ICAO AAM 2026 Symposium in Bangkok in December 2026
- Sri Lanka: first country to adopt the Global Fast Track Program, aiming to move from sandbox validation to commercial operations within four months of assessments
- Hong Kong SAR: EH216-S completed first-phase validation flights and public demonstration under the Low-Altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox X initiative
Negative
- None.
News Explained
The program has reached active validation in three markets, but commercial operations remain targeted or conditional rather than completed.
EHang reports that its Global Fast Track Program has moved into country-specific validation and commercialization preparation: Sri Lanka has adopted it, Hong Kong has completed a first validation phase and public demonstration, and Thailand is preparing for a targeted first commercial flight.
In
Thailand is aiming for its first commercial flight by the second ICAO Advanced Air Mobility Symposium in
Key Figures
- Autonomous safe flights
- nearly 100,000 flights
- EH216-S operational record
- Countries with flight experience
- 23 countries
- EH216-S operational record
- Chinese operating sites
- more than 40 sites
- EH216-S operational experience
- First Sri Lanka sandbox
- August 2026
- Sri Lanka became the first country to adopt the Global Fast Track Program
- Sri Lanka validation target
- within four months
- Target for sandbox validation and transition to commercial operations, subject to assessments
- Thailand commercial flight target
- this December
- Target for the first commercial flight in Bangkok
Historical Context
-
EH216-S completed its first public flight under Hong Kong's Regulatory Sandbox X project.
-
EHang withdrew 2026 revenue guidance amid cautious Chinese regulatory conditions.
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Key Terms
advanced air mobility technical
regulatory sandbox regulatory
airworthiness certification regulatory
evtol technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
- At DGCA/61, Malaysia's Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia called on regulators to actively embrace the low-altitude economy and Advanced Air Mobility, advocating the regulatory sandbox as a safe pathway to bring innovative technologies to market
- Invited to present the Global Fast Track Program to civil aviation authorities across the Asia Pacific, EHang is advancing sandbox projects in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong SAR of China, receiving positive responses from regulators, with multiple civil aviation authorities expressing interest in joining the Program
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EHang Holdings Limited ("EHang" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: EH), the world's leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technology platform company, announced that it was invited to attend the 61st Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation, Asia and Pacific Region (DGCA/61), held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from September 7 to 11. Hosted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) under the theme "Smart Skies: Emerging Technologies for Safe, Secure, Sustainable and Efficient Aviation," the conference brought together more than 500 representatives — civil aviation authorities, international organizations and industry leaders — from 35 countries.
（Image: The 61st Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation, Asia and Pacific Region (DGCA/61)）
CAAM Backs Low-Altitude Economy and Regulatory Sandbox to Facilitate New Technology Adoption
(Image: Malaysia's Minister of Transport Anthony Loke delivering remarks)
During the conference opening, Malaysia's Minister of Transport Anthony Loke emphasized that artificial intelligence, unmanned aircraft and AAM have the potential to transform logistics, public services and connectivity. As these technologies develop, he noted, governments and regulators must provide clarity and confidence, ensuring that innovation proceeds responsibly and continues to serve the public interest.
(Image: Dato' Captain Norazman Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of CAAM, delivering the opening address)
Dato' Captain Norazman Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of CAAM, stated in his opening address, "We must also prepare for the next frontier, the low-altitude economy. Unmanned aircraft system, and AAM offer enormous potential, but they also raise new questions involving airspace, certification, traffic management, infrastructure, and accountability. Technology is moving faster than traditional regulatory cycles. Our challenge is to ensure that regulation enables responsible innovation while remaining firm in its most fundamental purpose — protecting safety, security, and public confidence. This requires regulatory approaches that are adaptive, risk-proportionate, and performance-based."
(Image: Dato' Captain Norazman Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of CAAM, visiting EHang's exhibition booth)
This regulatory direction is closely aligned with EHang’s sandbox validation initiatives in multiple markets, providing a strong regulatory foundation for translating policy initiatives into real-world pilotless passenger-carrying eVTOL operations across the Asia Pacific.
(Image: EHang presenting the Global Fast Track Program at its exhibition booth)
EHang Outlines the Global Fast Track Program: From Product Export to Empowering Global Markets with Chinese Standards
Conor Yang, Board Director and Chief Financial Officer at EHang, was invited to deliver a keynote speech titled "From Certification to Operations: A Practical, Replicable Pathway for eVTOL AAM in the Asia Pacific".
In his speech, Mr. Yang noted that AAM holds immense potential across the Asia Pacific. Regulators across the region are exploring a common question: how to make this new mode of mobility safe, accessible and truly practical. Airworthiness certification is only the first step — building local regulatory frameworks, cultivating local operations and maintenance capabilities, and ensuring safe public flights day after day are the real challenges.
(Image: Conor Yang, Board Director and Chief Financial Officer at EHang, delivering the keynote speech)
Drawing on the EH216-S pilotless eVTOL aircraft’s complete set of certifications, along with nearly 100,000 autonomous safe flights across 23 countries, and operational experience from more than 40 sites in China, Mr. Yang introduced EHang Global Fast Track Program: "The Program is expected to compress a market-entry cycle that traditionally takes years into a matter of months, without compromising safety. We deliver capabilities step by step, leverage existing certification achievements and avoid unnecessary duplication of validation, with the civil aviation authority retaining full regulatory oversight at every stage. EHang brings aircraft, operational platforms and operational support, working with regulators to jointly build the pathway to market entry."
Sandbox Projects Advance Across Overseas Markets and Multiple Civil Aviation Authorities Signal Deeper Cooperation
In his speech, Mr. Yang shared EHang’s successful implementation of regulatory sandbox projects across international markets, which have attracted widespread attention and positive feedback. Directors General of multiple civil aviation authorities expressed strong interest in the Global Fast Track Program and further explored opportunities for cooperation.
THAILAND
EHang is working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) to advance sandbox validation. In November 2025, Manat Chavanaprayoon, Director General of CAAT, personally boarded the EH216-S and experienced a pilotless urban flight in Bangkok. EHang and CAAT are now accelerating preparations for commercialization, aiming to conduct the first commercial flight by the Second International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Advanced Air Mobility Symposium (AAM 2026) in Bangkok this December.
SRI LANKA
In August 2026, Sri Lanka became the first country to adopt the EHang Global Fast Track Program. The parties plan to establish the first sandbox zone centered on Port City in Colombo, targeting validation and the transition to commercial operations within four months, subject to the successful completion of comprehensive regulatory, technical, operational, and safety assessments. EHang and the Sri Lankan authorities are progressing regulatory framework alignment and other related work as planned.
HONG KONG, CHINA
EHang was selected as one of the first batch of trial projects under the Hong Kong Low-Altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox X initiative. The EH216-S recently successfully completed its first phase of validation flights and public demonstration. EHang is also actively assisting the HKSAR Government in advancing legislative research on this new type of aircraft.
Throughout the conference, EHang’s exhibition booth attracted significant attention from delegates. Senior representatives of CAAM, along with directors-general and delegates from the civil aviation authorities of Laos, Fiji, Cambodia, the Philippines, Tonga, Vietnam, the Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal, and other countries, visited the booth, holding detailed discussions on the feasibility of introducing regulatory sandbox mechanisms and implementing the Fast Track Program in their respective countries. The visiting regulators agreed that EHang's mature airworthiness system and standardized operational support provide a practical turnkey solution for countries without ready-made AAM regulatory frameworks.
(Image: The Directors General of Civil Aviation of Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan visiting EHang's exhibition booth)
From Product Deployment to System-Level Cooperation: Building a Global Low-Altitude Ecosystem
From EHang's debut at the 40th ICAO Assembly in 2019, to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) sharing the Special Conditions for the EH216-S unmanned aircraft system with the world at the 41st ICAO Assembly, and now to presenting the Global Fast Track Program as a systematic offering to the Asia Pacific's top aviation officials at DGCA/61, EHang has evolved from showcasing an aircraft to sharing airworthiness standards, and now to providing a structured pathway for implementation.
EHang will continue to embrace openness and cooperation, working closely with aviation regulators and industry partners worldwide. Building on the regulatory sandbox, the Company will steadily expand its international routes and commercial networks, bringing safe, intelligent, and green air mobility within reach of people around the world.
About EHang
EHang (Nasdaq: EH) is the world's leading advanced air mobility (“AAM”) technology platform company, committed to making safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly air mobility accessible to everyone. The company develops and manufactures a diversified portfolio of pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft for a wide range of use cases, including aerial tourism, intra-city transport, intercity travel, logistics and emergency firefighting. Its flagship model, EH216-S, has obtained the world's first type certificate, production certificate, and standard airworthiness certificate for pilotless passenger-carrying eVTOL issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, and is now commercially operated under the country's first Air Operator Certificates for human-carrying eVTOL services. Complementing this, EHang's VT35 expands its reach into long-range and intercity scenarios, supporting the development of a multi-tiered low-altitude mobility network. By integrating advanced autonomous technologies with scalable operational infrastructure, EHang is redefining how people and goods move—across cities, regions, and natural barriers—shaping the future of air mobility. For more information, please visit www.ehang.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about management's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to those relating to certifications, our expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, our products and solutions and the commercialization of AAM services, our relationships with strategic partners, and current litigation and potential litigation involving us. Management has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While they believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond management's control. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause EHang's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
Investor Contact: ir@ehang.com
Media Contact: pr@ehang.com
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FAQ
What is EHang's Global Fast Track Program for eVTOL deployment?
The Global Fast Track Program is described as a practical, replicable pathway that uses EH216-S airworthiness certifications, operational platforms and support to accelerate market entry for pilotless eVTOL services. It aims to deliver capabilities step by step, leverage existing validation to avoid duplication, and keep civil aviation authorities in full regulatory control while shortening the time from certification to daily public operations.
Which countries are currently involved in sandbox projects with EHang?
EHang is advancing regulatory sandbox projects with the civil aviation authorities of Thailand, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong SAR of China. In Thailand, it is working with CAAT on validation and commercialization. In Sri Lanka, the parties plan a sandbox zone around Colombo Port City. In Hong Kong, EH216-S has already completed first-phase validation flights and a public demonstration.
What are the planned timelines for commercialization in Thailand and Sri Lanka?
In Thailand, EHang and CAAT are aiming to conduct the first commercial EH216-S flight by the Second ICAO Advanced Air Mobility Symposium (AAM 2026) in Bangkok in December 2026. In Sri Lanka, the parties plan to move from sandbox validation to commercial operations within four months, subject to successful completion of regulatory, technical, operational and safety assessments.
How are other Asia-Pacific regulators engaging with EHang's proposal?
Directors-general and delegates from civil aviation authorities in countries including Laos, Fiji, Cambodia, the Philippines, Tonga, Vietnam, the Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal visited EHang’s booth at DGCA/61. They held detailed discussions on introducing regulatory sandbox mechanisms and implementing the Global Fast Track Program, and agreed that EHang’s airworthiness system and standardized operational support offer a turnkey solution for markets without existing AAM frameworks.