The era of commercial use of unmanned flying taxis has begun in China, with two local companies receiving official permits to operate such vehicles. The government’s decision, announced on April 2, 2025, is a major step in the development of the country’s transport infrastructure. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the innovative vehicles are designed to radically change the approach to travel by reducing travel times, eliminating traffic jams and providing access to routes inaccessible to traditional transport. The move underlines Beijing’s ambitions to strengthen its position in the global race for technological leadership and stimulate the development of a low-altitude flight economy.

EHang Holdings and Hefei Hey Airlines have become pioneers in this field, having successfully passed rigorous safety checks and received certificates for commercial operation of their autonomous drones. For now, the talk is about launching services in a limited format - primarily city sightseeing tours that will allow passengers to see megacities from a bird's eye view. However, the authorities and operators plan to expand the range of services: from passenger transportation between districts to cargo delivery to hard-to-reach areas. CAAC representatives noted that the use of flying taxis should not only increase the mobility of the population, but also relieve ground transport networks, especially in densely populated cities, where traffic jams have long been a chronic problem.

EHang Holdings, one of the project’s leaders, is already known for its developments in the field of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. Their EH216-S model, a two-seater drone with 16 propellers, is capable of reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour and an altitude of up to 3000 meters. Hefei Hey Airlines, in turn, plans to integrate such devices into the urban transportation system in Anhui Province, where the first test sites have already been created. Both companies emphasize that their technologies have undergone many years of testing, including checks for safety and resistance to adverse weather conditions, which was a key factor in obtaining licenses.

As reported by the South China Morning Post on March 31, 2025, the issuance of certificates was the final stage of regulation that began in July 2024, when EHang applied for a license. Experts estimate that China's low-altitude flight market could reach 1,5 trillion yuan (about $207 billion) by the end of 2025, making it one of the most promising sectors of the economy. Reuters clarifies that China has become one of the first countries to officially allow commercial flights of autonomous passenger drones, ahead of the United States and Europe, where such projects are still in the testing or regulatory phase.

The launch of flying taxis has already caused a stir. In early April 2025, journalist Li Zexin posted a video on social media platform X showing passengers boarding an EH216-S and flying over Guangzhou, which attracted the attention of millions of users. The authorities hope that such services will not only increase the tourist appeal of cities, but will also become part of a larger "smart transport" system integrated with artificial intelligence and digital platforms. However, experts interviewed by The Economic Times point to challenges: the need to create a network of landing pads, ensure safety in dense air traffic, and high ticket prices at the initial stage may limit the project's mass adoption.