Sri Lanka's first passenger eVTOL arrives under EHang's Fast Track program, while Hanoi says its trial isn't approved yet

The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) says the country's first passenger transport drone has arrived. Its maiden flight is planned at Colombo Port City by the end of October, Newswire reported on October 18. The aircraft carries two passengers and can fly for about 30 minutes.

Sri Lanka: arrival, not service

Sri Lanka was the first country to adopt EHang's Global Fast Track Programme, which is meant to speed up the introduction of pilotless eVTOLs in new markets. Colombo Port City is the first operational zone. Business News stresses that passenger services can't begin until the required regulatory and safety approvals are in place. The routes under consideration are still only proposals: scenic flights over Sigiriya and Pidurangala, and transfers between Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake and hotels in Colombo.

When EHang announced the programme on August 19, it said CAASL was targeting "initial sandbox commercialization within four months." CAASL's director general added that this target remains subject to the required regulatory, technical, operational and safety assessments and approvals. The Sri Lankan reports don't name the aircraft model.

Vietnam: still waiting for a decision

Vietnam is the second Fast Track country, EHang says. Its local partner HungViet signed an MoU with Hanoi's Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in late September for regulatory-sandbox testing of the EH216-S. Test flights can take place only after authorization.

Hanoi DOST then sent HungViet's trial application to the ministries of Defence, Public Security, Construction, and Science and Technology for comment, with a deadline before October 17, Báo Đầu tư reported. HungViet proposes about 500 flights over four months at four sites: Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, West Lake, My Dinh National Stadium and Hateco Long Bien. The flights would start unloaded, then move to payloads or mannequins if safety conditions are met. Cargo tests would carry up to 220 kg per flight.

"No decision has been issued by the Hanoi People's Committee approving the implementation of flying taxi trials," Le Thu Hien of Hanoi DOST said, according to Vietcetera.

What is not established

Neither country has approved passenger service, and there is no date for paying passengers. Sri Lanka's maiden flight is a plan for the end of October, not a completed flight. The Hanoi trial has no approval and no start date. In China, the EH216-S holds CAAC type, production and standard airworthiness certificates, but that doesn't carry over to Sri Lanka or Vietnam on its own. Each authority has to run its own approvals.

Sources

• Newswire: Sri Lanka's first passenger drone arrives ahead of maiden flight (Oct 18 2026)
• Business News: Sri Lanka's Passenger Drone Flight Operations Expected to Start by October (Oct 18 2026)
• EHang: Global Fast Track Program launched; Sri Lanka first to adopt (Aug 19 2026)
• EHang: Global Fast Track Program expands to Vietnam (Sep 29 2026)
• Báo Đầu tư via Vietnam.vn: Hà Nội tham vấn các bộ, ngành về đề xuất thử nghiệm taxi bay không người lái (Oct 14 2026)
• Vietcetera: Hanoi Takes First Steps Towards Flying Taxis (Oct 17 2026)