EHang's two-seat EH216-S pilotless eVTOL completed Sri Lanka's first passenger-carrying flights at Colombo Port City on November 11, 2026. Ports and Aviation Minister Anura Karunathilaka and his deputy, Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku, were the first people on board. EHang says the flights followed a scenic loop along the coast and were also its first passenger flights in South Asia. At the event, the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka said it had granted the company a licence to test the aircraft.
The flights were the result of several months of preparation. Sri Lanka became the first market in EHang's Global Fast Track Program in August 2026, a framework intended to speed up the assessment and introduction of pilotless eVTOL operations outside China. The first aircraft arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport in October, shipped from Thailand, and test flights took place at Port City in the days before the public demonstration.
According to Sri Lankan officials, the EH216-S is driven by 16 electric motors and propellers, carries 12 battery packs and has a maximum take-off weight of 620 kg. They put its endurance at about 25 minutes and its range at up to 30 km. By EHang's count, its EH216 series has now completed close to 100,000 flights, and Sri Lanka is the 24th country where the aircraft has flown.
The first planned use is tourism. Before the flights, the minister said the aircraft would initially offer local and foreign visitors aerial views of Colombo, with Sigiriya and Jaffna as possible later destinations. Officials have also discussed links between the international airport and central Colombo, along with emergency and cargo roles. Timelines vary. Ahead of the demonstration, the minister spoke of commercial service within two to three months if trials went well, while after his flight the deputy minister said testing could continue for about five months before commercial services are allowed. "Sri Lanka is now part of that race as well," Kodithuwakku told reporters, referring to the countries working to introduce passenger drone services.
Sri Lanka is part of a wider regional push. EHang announced on October 30 that it is setting up a regional hub in Thailand to station aircraft closer to overseas projects, with an initial fleet of 25 EH216-S units. The company says it is also preparing flights in Vietnam and Malaysia, while noting that each project remains subject to local regulatory approval.
For tourism operators, resort and property developers, and aviation agencies in emerging markets, the Colombo flights show how a Chinese pilotless eVTOL can move from paperwork to real flights in a few months under a sandbox model. Buyers should plan for more than the aircraft: take-off and landing sites, charging, ground operations and local approvals all shape the timeline, and the pace is set by the regulator rather than the manufacturer. If you are evaluating passenger or cargo eVTOL platforms from China and want help comparing suppliers and project requirements, our team can help you scope the options.