Airport Technology

Weekly Newsletter

10 November 2023

Weekly Newsletter

EHang inaugurates its first European UAM centre

The UAM centre was unveiled following the signing of an agreement between EHang and Aeroports de Catalunya.

Cat Vitale November 07 2023

Chinese-based autonomous aviation technology company EHang has announced the inauguration of its first European urban air mobility (UAM) centre in Spain.

The centre is located inside the Lleida–Alguaire International Airport (LEDA), a regional airport operated by Aeroports de Catalunya.

This announcement marks the establishment of Europe's first UAM centre and lays the stage for the effective integration of eVTOL operations with airport infrastructure.

The Nasdaq-listed company showcased its EH216-S aircraft at the inauguration, which features a design speed of 130km/h and a maximum range of 30km.

The EHang test flight at LEDA Credit: EHang.

EHang founder and CEO Mr Huazhi Hu described the opening as a strong step in European integration.

Mr Hu said: “The establishment of EHang’s European UAM Center marks an important step forward in the company’s international development. Through this world-class UAM centre, EHang expects to manifest its strong commitment with the development and deployment of UAM in Europe.

“EHang aims to share our certified and validated technology and operational experience with our partners around the world in the future to make our shared vision for benefiting all of society with safe, autonomous and eco-friendly UAM solutions.”

The EH216-S has recently obtained a type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), deeming the aircraft qualified for conducting passenger-carrying UAV commercial operations.

Ehang further emphasised its commitment to advancing air mobility initiatives in Europe. It has set goals of obtaining EASA certification and airworthiness criteria in order to boost industry growth and make UAM a reality in Europe.

Marc Sanglas, secretary of mobility and infrastructure of the Catalonian Government in Spain, added: “We are especially proud of the cooperation with EHang, a leading technology company in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles in the world, to whom we are grateful for having chosen our international airport as their first European UAM Center.”

This project aligns with expectations from EASA, which claims that urban air mobility will become a reality across Europe between 2024 and 2026.

Could investment in the the metaverse accelerate the travel industry’s recovery?

Current metaverse applications in the T&T sector either focus on digital marketing campaigns with real-world rewards for consumers, creating immersive experiences on-site for digitally savvy consumers through AR and VR metaverses, or improving operational efficiency through digital twin technology. As the metaverse evolves, it could offer virtual travel opportunities that complement traditional tourism. However, uptake of the metaverse by smaller travel and tourism operators will remain limited until use cases are affordable and provide a guaranteed return on investment.