On the evening of July 22nd, Yihang Intelligent announced that the Civil Aviation Administration of China (hereinafter referred to as "CAAC") has officially accepted the applications for the Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operation Certificate (AOC) submitted by its wholly-owned subsidiary Guangdong Yihang General Aviation Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Yihang Aviation") specializing in UAM operation services and its joint venture operating company Hefei Heyi Aviation Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Heyi Aviation") in Hefei. The two companies have been granted the operation license and operation qualification certification for unmanned aerial vehicles, and consensus has been reached with the applicants in terms of the review process, review subjects, and review framework. The Civil Aviation Administration of China has also recently established a professional review team to officially carry out subsequent related review work.
Yihang Intelligence stated that as the world's first accepted unmanned manned electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) OC certification project, this means that the world's first manned eVTOL operation standard system with epoch-making significance is about to be born, and will lay a solid foundation for the commercial operation of Yihang Intelligence EH216-S. In addition to Yihang Aviation and Heyi Aviation, Yihang Intelligent's partners in cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Taiyuan, and Wuxi are also preparing to actively promote OC approval applications and accelerate the construction of EH216-S low altitude economic commercial operation demonstration models in the local area.
Like the previous airworthiness certification, the OC certification of EH216-S unmanned manned aircraft cannot directly use the established standards in the civil aviation field for certification. It is necessary to innovate and improve on the basis of existing regulations, and build a new and applicable standard system. In March of this year, the Civil Aviation Administration of China publicly solicited opinions on the "Application and Issuance of Operating Licenses for Part 92 of the Civil Aviation Regulations of China", aiming to promote the orderly implementation of the "Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operation Safety Management Rules" (CCAR-92) regarding operating licenses, clarify the permit application process and requirements, standardize the scope and key points of operational safety assessment implementation, and refine operational management requirements. Based on the extensive operational data and practical experience accumulated previously, Yihang Intelligence is actively assisting the Civil Aviation Administration of China in promoting the development of EH216-S operation related standards, and will also provide a reference basis for the establishment of the world's first unmanned manned eVTOL commercial operation supervision system.
In May of this year, the group standard "Technical Requirements for Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Landing Sites" was officially released, with Yihang Intelligence as the main drafting and initiating unit and deep participation in its development. This standard provides a clear explanation of the physical characteristics, obstacle limitations, site selection, structural design, specialized facilities and equipment, and many other technical parameters of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft takeoff and landing sites. It is China's first technical specification for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft takeoff and landing sites, and will serve as a reference for the development of China's eVTOL industry standards. At the same time, it will also contribute significantly to the commercial operation of eVTOL by Yihang Intelligent.
Hu Huazhi, founder, chairman, and CEO of Yihang Intelligence, stated that the formal acceptance of the world's first unmanned manned aircraft OC certification project has groundbreaking significance for the eVTOL industry. From obtaining the world's first unmanned manned eVTOL model certificate, production license, standard airworthiness certificate, to operational qualification certification, we are pleased to receive high recognition from the Civil Aviation Administration of China and take one step closer to achieving the goal of commercial operation of Yihang's intelligent unmanned manned aircraft. This is also the final hurdle for urban air traffic to officially enter the stage of mass consumption. We look forward to the release of the world's first unmanned manned eVTOL commercial operation standard system and OC, making low altitude economy accessible to the public.