Pilotless electric air travel takes off in Africa with EHang’s EH216-S

19 Sept

EHang has successfully completed Africa’s first pilotless human-carrying eVTOL flight with its EH216-S aircraft in Kigali, Rwanda, at the 9th Aviation Africa Summit & Exhibition.

This landmark flight will be of particular interest to Global Travel Management’s customers who travel on business because it signals a major step forward in air mobility that could reshape how business travellers move within and between African cities and remote regions, potentially offering time savings, greater flexibility and new route choices.

EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH) announced this achievement as it and its strategic partner China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) conducted the first-ever pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft flight carrying humans in Africa. The event, held during the Aviation Africa Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, was backed by Rwanda’s Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA), with dignitaries including President Paul Kagame, Minister of Infrastructure Dr. Jimmy Gasore, RCAA Director General Silas Udahemuka, and the Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, Wenqi Gao, in attendance.

Mr Rucheng Lu, Chief Engineer of EHang, noted that

“With over 73,000 safe flight already completed, this first human-carrying flights in Africa demonstrates EHang’s outstanding technical capabilities and robust system safety, making an important step in accelerating our global expansion.”

The EH216-S has now flown in 21 countries across five continents, expanding its global flight footprint. Africa’s vast and often remote geography presents particular challenges for surface transport—poor roads, limited rail or highway infrastructure, and congested city travel being among them. The pilotless eVTOL model promises to address many of these challenges by enabling point-to-point and low-altitude flight, offering a potential alternative for business travellers working in Africa who want to save time and avoid inland travel delays.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda said that

“This impressive flights will drive the development of low-altitude transportation in Africa”.

Chinese Ambassador Wenqi Gao emphasised how the flight symbolises deepening technological cooperation between China and Rwanda under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Dr Jimmy Gasore, Minister of Infrastructure, stated that the flight

“serves as a reference point for building a safe and advanced air mobility regulatory framework in the country.”

For UK-based business travellers, developments such as this matter because they hint at a future where short-haul regional travel or travel between otherwise difficult-to-reach locations may become much quicker, more frequent, and more reliable. Innovations in air mobility — and in pilotless, electric flight — could reduce dependence on complex or slow domestic connections, especially in areas with infrastructure constraints, and improve cost-effectiveness and sustainability in business travel.

Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management, said:

“For business travellers from the UK working in or with Africa, these advances in air mobility could mean significant time saved, more direct access and more predictability in itineraries. The EH216-S flight shows what the future of business travel might look like—faster, cleaner, and more flexible.”

The Rwandan flight was conducted with the support of the RCAA, witnessed by international delegates (aviation representatives and media from over 50 countries), and follows EHang’s obtaining of its CAAC type certificate, production certificate and standard airworthiness certificate for the EH216-S. As EHang and CRBC plan to expand further into the African market, they will collaborate with airlines, airports, civil aviation authorities, industry organisations and professionals to explore new models of air mobility that can support transportation, logistics, tourism and other sectors.

If you would like further information about what this means for your business travel options or how Global Travel Management can assist you in leveraging emerging air mobility opportunities, please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.