EHang has launched a Global Fast Track Program for international pilotless eVTOL commercialisation, with Sri Lanka becoming the first country to adopt the framework. The plan brings together EHang, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation and the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka in a four-phase pathway aimed at sandbox commercialisation within four months, starting with activity centred on Port City in Colombo.
The programme is designed to move from regulatory alignment to sandbox build-out, validation flights and commercial launch, subject to regulatory, technical, operational and safety approvals. EHang positioned the initiative as a way to compress the route from validation to service by using a pre-defined model built around already certified aircraft and operating experience in China and other markets.
Initial use cases under consideration include sightseeing flights, airport-to-city shuttle services and maritime logistics. The approach also gives Sri Lanka a possible reference role for regulated eVTOL sandboxing in the region, while commercial operations remain contingent on the completion of assessments and approval of the operating environment.