EHang, a provider of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technology, achieved a significant milestone by conducting point-to-point urban flights of its EH216-S pilotless electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Zaragoza, Spain.
These flights represent the first emergency response urban flights of a pilotless eVTOL aircraft in Europe and establish a new benchmark for emergency response solutions. The demonstration formed the final milestone of the European Union’s Urban Supply Aerial Vehicles for Emergencies (U-SAVE) project, which is funded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
Over the past year, flights have been conducted with various aircraft in controlled environments, including EHang’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Center in Europe at Lleida-Alguaire International Airport and in Tartu, Estonia, with support from the Estonian Aviation Academy (EAVA). Throughout the project, the EH216-S pilotless eVTOL system was integrated with ANRA’s U-Space certified airspace management platform, delivering a fully turnkey UAM solution and enabling the deployment of UAM emergency response services within a unified digital ecosystem.
The landmark demonstration in Zaragoza brought together government authorities, industry leaders, and media representatives, signaling accelerating momentum for Urban Air Mobility adoption across Europe. The demonstration marks the culmination of the U-SAVE project, following a year of close collaboration among partners and stakeholders including the Aragonese Aerospace Cluster (“AERA”), the Aragonese Innovative Logistics Association (“ALIA”), ANRA Technologies, and the EAVA. Public institutions such as Zaragoza City Council, the Aragonese Institute of Health Sciences, Hernán Cortés Hospital Group, the Aragón Health Cluster, and the city of Tartu in Estonia also supported the project.
These flights align with a strategic collaboration between EHang and the Zaragoza City Council, formalized in 2021 to jointly promote the implementation of AAV demonstration projects in emergency response, passenger transportation, aerial tourism, aerial logistics, and other application scenarios under a UAM strategic partnership framework.
Ms. Natalia Chueca, Mayor of Zaragoza, Spain, expressed “the pride of having in the city heart of Zaragoza unprecedented emergency response flight demonstrations.” She emphasized, “This is yet another example of our goal to position Zaragoza as a benchmark city in the development of new technologies that really help to improve the quality of life of our citizens.”
Ms. Chueca also recalled that “signing strategic agreements with major technological companies such as EHang, is just one example of the city policies aiming to position Zaragoza as a large urban laboratory where the use of disruptive technologies like EHang eVTOL aircrafts can be demonstrated in real conditions.”
Ms. Victoria Jing Xiang, Chief Operating Officer of EHang Europe and Latin America, remarked “Through this unprecedented urban point-to-point emergency response flight, we demonstrate how EHang´s advanced pilotless eVTOL can provide a more efficient, agile, intelligent, and sustainable response to emergency situations. In critical moments, they can bypass urban congestion or access areas that are difficult to reach by land, ensuring that assistance arrives at the exact point of need in the shortest possible time. This contributes directly to improving quality of life and enhancing safety in our cities. At EHang, we reaffirm our commitment to innovation and to close collaboration with all our strategic partners to make advanced air mobility a reality.”
Mr. Marti Massot, Head of Innovation Hub South of the EIT Urban Mobility, emphasized that U-SAVE “demonstrates the value of public-private collaboration and our commitment to supporting cities with innovative solutions that enhance their responsiveness in mobility and transportation.”
With these successful aerial demonstrations in Zaragoza, EHang continues to advance the development of AAM, proving that safe and scalable urban eVTOL operations for emergency response are transitioning from concept to reality. This initiative aligns with the European Union’s broader efforts to establish a comprehensive regulatory and operational framework for the seamless integration of unmanned aerial systems and eVTOL aircraft into urban environments.
