EHang Conducts Middle East’s First Pilotless Urban eVTOL Flights in Doha
Future work targets shuttles, air taxi corridors, and transport network integration.
EHang announced an achievement today with the successful completion of a series of trial flights of its EH216-S pilotless eVTOL aircraft in central Doha, Qatar.
The flights included both point-to-point and human-carrying operations between the Port of Doha and the Katara Cultural Village, marking a first in the Middle East.
EHang said the trials were conducted in close partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) and with operational authorization from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA).
The company described the flights as a demonstration of the EH216-S’s potential in urban air mobility (UAM) scenarios, reducing a typical 30-minute car journey to an eight-minute aerial shuttle.
According to EHang, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani, Qatar’s Minister of Transport, characterized the flights as an important step toward implementing the country’s strategy for smart and sustainable mobility, highlighting Qatar’s focus on innovation, environmentally friendly technologies, and improving urban transport efficiency as part of the National Vision 2030.
Victoria Jing Xiang, EHang’s chief operating officer for Europe and Latin America, said the flights represent the first trial operations of a pilotless eVTOL for passenger transport in a Middle Eastern city center, and emphasized that the company is working closely with local authorities to build a safe and efficient advanced air mobility (AAM) ecosystem in the region.
EHang said the pilotless air taxi project will be carried out in multiple phases, addressing infrastructure readiness, approval of operational systems, and compliance with safety and quality standards.
Future plans call for airport-to-urban shuttle services, air taxi corridors connecting tourism and high-traffic zones, and broader integration into Qatar’s multimodal transport network.
The MOT will continue assessing the trial results to establish the regulatory and technical frameworks needed to safely approve and operate pilotless eVTOL services.
EHang said the initiative positions Qatar as a leading hub for smart and sustainable mobility technologies.
