The new facility serves as a demonstration flight site, ground infrastructure, and maintenance base for EHang’s various pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the region, including EH216-S.
During the inauguration ceremony, the EH216-S pilotless eVTOL successfully completed its first flight in the Kanto region for aerial sightseeing.
The establishment of the UAM Centre is the result of a strategic partnership between EHang and AirX, a Japanese air mobility digital platform company.
Situated on the site of the former Helicopter Control and Command Centre owned by Ibaraki Prefectural Government, the UAM Centre houses hangars with capacity for approximately 25 EH216-S aircraft. The shared landing platform, used by both helicopters and eVTOLs, covers an area of around 30,000m2.
Developed by AirX in collaboration with Tsukuba Airlines, the UAM Centre is designed to meet the evolving needs of next-generation air mobility that encompasses pilotless eVTOL aircraft, helicopters and private jets.
EHang has been actively expanding its presence in the global market. To date, the EH216-S pilotless eVTOL aircraft has successfully conducted flights across 12 cities in Japan, showcasing its versatility in various use cases, including aerial sightseeing, island transportation, aerial logistics, and emergency services.
Huazhi Hu, founder, chairman, and CEO of EHang, said, “Congratulations on the inauguration of Japan's first UAM Centre. This is a key milestone in UAM, bringing us one step closer to introducing a new era of transportation to the public. EHang will continue collaborating with our partners in promoting safe, autonomous, and environmentally friendly UAM solutions in Japan, as we aim to offer our pilotless eVTOLs to a global audience and enhance the lives of people worldwide.”
