Flying taxis prepare for lift-off in China as first companies gain key licence

China has taken a major step towards creating a commercial flying taxi industry, after regulators granted the country’s first-ever approvals for two companies to operate autonomous passenger drones.

The two companies – Nasdaq-listed EHang Holdings and Hefei Hey Airlines – obtained air operator certificates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on Saturday, according to state-run news agency Xinhua.

The move means that both companies are cleared to use unmanned aerial vehicles to offer commercial passenger services, including urban sightseeing tours.

The air operator certificate was the final regulatory hurdle both companies’ passenger drones needed to clear before being put into operation, given that they had already obtained the type certificate, production certificate and airworthiness certificate, according to a report by Citic Securities.

“We reckon that low-altitude tourism will be the beginning of this new business,” the report stated. “EHang’s urban sightseeing tours can accelerate the development of the industry.”