Chinese flying taxis take off in Thailand’s urban skies
Autonomous aircraft set for trials in tourism and transport zones
A Chinese drone firm has launched Thailand’s first flying taxi trials in partnership with local regulators to test autonomous aircraft for urban transport.
Aviation giant EHang has launched Thailand’s first Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Sandbox Initiative, marking a major milestone in the race to bring flying taxis to Southeast Asia.
Unveiled in Bangkok, the initiative was created in partnership with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and several regional firms. It allows EHang to conduct live trial operations of its EH216-S electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft under a dedicated regulatory framework.
Test flights have now begun in Bangkok, with plans to expand to tourism hotspots, including Pattaya, Koh Larn, Phuket and Koh Samui. The sandbox zones will serve as real-world test beds for technology, safety procedures and integration with Thailand’s unmanned traffic systems.
During the launch event, the EH216-S completed several autonomous point-to-point flights, impressing officials from the Ministry of Transport and CAAT, as well as representatives from project partners such as Aerial Sea Ventures, Bangkok Airways, VietJet, China Harbour Engineering Company and Malaysia’s Tahira Group.
EHang’s Chief Financial Officer, Conor Yang, said the sandbox could serve as a model for regional growth.
“Our goal is to leverage the operational and regulatory framework established here as a model for other Southeast Asian markets, bringing safe, sustainable AAM to the wider region.”
CAAT Director General, Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, praised Thailand’s “safety-led” approach to innovation and said the country was on track to become the first in the world to launch commercial eVTOL services.
“We’re proving the technology works before we scale.”
The Ministry of Transport added that the project is aligned with Thailand’s commitment to carbon neutrality and smart city development. Deputy Permanent Secretary Panya Chupanit said AAM would support the country’s goals for clean, connected, and modern transport solutions, according to ZAG Daily.
The sandbox rollout follows EHang’s earlier human-carrying flight demonstration in Bangkok last November and reflects Thailand’s growing ambition to lead Southeast Asia’s urban air mobility revolution.
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