EHang Holdings Limited, a global leader in advanced air mobility (AAM), has signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the China Academy of Civil Aviation Science and Technology (CAST). This partnership, witnessed by senior officials from both entities and the Hefei municipal government, aims to accelerate the commercialization of the low-altitude economy and enhance China’s global competitiveness in aviation technology.
The collaboration is a significant response to the rapid advancement of UAV and eVTOL technologies. It unites CAST’s profound research capabilities in aviation safety and operations with EHang’s pioneering expertise in aircraft R&D, airworthiness certification, and commercial operations. The partnership is designed to integrate resources across the entire value chain to overcome challenges in regulations and operational ecosystem optimization.
According to the agreement, the two parties will deepen cooperation across six key areas: flight safety, operational support, route management, ecosystem development, technological cooperation, and policy and standards formulation. Specific initiatives will include joint innovation in new aviation systems, airworthiness compliance verification, establishing operational standards, developing operator training systems, and designing vertiport layouts and flight procedures. A major objective is the creation of integrated low-altitude management platforms to ensure the safe and stable operation of next-generation aircraft.
Furthermore, EHang and CAST will pool domestic and international aviation technology resources, share technical and market information, and promote the transformation of scientific achievements. They will leverage their combined expertise to support the formulation and improvement of industry regulations and standards.
Li Yu, President of CAST, remarked that the agreement represents a concrete step to implement national strategic initiatives. He emphasized that the partnership would deepen collaboration in airworthiness certification, regulatory standards, and technology commercialization to jointly promote the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.
Zhao Wang, Chief Operating Officer of EHang, stated that the collaboration marks an important strategic step for EHang. He noted that combining EHang’s innovation capabilities with CAST’s scientific strength and industry resources is key to addressing challenges in compliance, safety, and efficiency for scaled aircraft operations, ultimately contributing Chinese innovation to the global aviation industry.
