China issues first Operation Certificate for passenger eVTOLs

China's civil aviation authority issued the world's first Air Operation Certificate for a remotely operated aircraft system to two of EHang's urban aerial mobility (UAM) operation companies on March 28, marking the official start of the "passenger era" for China's low-altitude economy.

The low-altitude economy refers to the emerging economic ecosystem centered around activities, businesses and services conducted in airspace below 1,000 meters (or sometimes extended to 3,000 meters). It leverages low-altitude aircraft such as drones and eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) for various applications, including rescues, surveys, and the transport of goods and passengers. It integrates general aviation manufacturing, digital infrastructure and cross-sector applications, forming a key pillar of ​new quality productive forces in China.

Guangdong EHang General Aviation, a wholly owned UAM operations subsidiary of the NASDAQ-listed eVTOL company EHang, and Hefei Heyi Aviation, a commercial UAM operation jointly established by Hefei's state-owned capital and EHang, were granted the certificate by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The EH216-S eVTOL aircraft operated by these two companies is the world's first and China's only passenger-carrying autonomous eVTOL with a full set of three certifications – Type Certificate, Standard Airworthiness Certificate and Production Certificate. It has completed over 60,000 safe flights and can serve urban air mobility, logistics, tourism and other sectors. Now, obtaining the Operation Certificate signifies that UAM can officially begin its commercial rollout to the general public.

Following this certification, passengers can start purchasing tickets for low-altitude sightseeing tours and urban air commuting services at designated operation points in Guangzhou City, in south China's Guangdong Province, and Hefei City, in east China's Anhui Province.

Meanwhile, the low-altitude economy and general aviation have been identified as key future industries for 2035, according to a report on future industry track research released by the China Electronics and Information Industry Development Research Institute (CEIID) at the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing.

Pu Songtao, director of the Future Industry Research Center at CEIID, emphasized that future industries have become central to global technological competition. Following the joint release of a strategic framework by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and six other ministries in 2024, China's strategic deployment in this sector has accelerated significantly.

Local governments across China are rapidly developing specialized strategies. Beijing has identified over 20 sectors for focused development, with a particular emphasis on general artificial intelligence and commercial aerospace. Shanghai is cultivating future health industry clusters, while the Yangtze River Delta region is fostering coordinated growth in the low-altitude economy.