Passenger-grade Drone EHang 216 Starts Testing in Bali

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The EHang 216 flying taxi has reportedly started its trial run in Bali on November 26 and marks the first step in establishing the urban air mobility ecosystem. The business and flight aspect of the Autonomous Aerial Vehicle (AAV) is overseen by Prestige Aviation. 

Prestige Aviation executive chairman Rudy Salim said in a press statement that the existence of this new alternative to commercial aviation is hoped to assist people and slash travel time. 

He claims the EHang, which is essentially an oversized drone that can carry passengers, is able to cover 30-50 kilometers in just 20 minutes. 

“Our intention behind the flight demo is to introduce the EHang to the public. We will map out commercial urban aerial vehicles and will surely adhere to regulations,” he wrote.

Moreover, Indonesian Motor Association (IMI) chairperson Bambang Soesatyo believes the time efficiency gained by utilizing the EHang is enormous, especially considering traffic congestion in major cities is something that cannot be avoided.

“This is not only efficient in terms of time, but also energy and cost. In the future, EHang 216 will be used to promote domestic tourism,” said Bambang. 

It is still unclear when the EHang 216 will be officially launched as a means of transportation in Indonesia as Prestige Aviation is still waiting for the country’s regulatory body to complete the regulations surrounding the operations of the vehicle. 

Read: EHang 216 Flying Taxi Arrives in Indonesia

RAFIF RAHEDIAN