Last September, eHang announced their EH216 is close to certification by the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) and revealed some astounding numbers. The EH216 (two seats, 16 rotors) has over 30,000 safe flights to its credit. An even stronger sign that eHang is headed toward commercial operations – its safety video. You don’t need to be conversant in Mandarin or Cantonese to get it. Preparing for customer operations is a clear sign of intent. According to eHang, a “Project Specific Certification Plan has been officially approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (“CAAC”). At present, various specified review subjects have been confirmed, including performance and flight, structural strength, design and configuration, ground control station, airborne human-computer interaction, totality, continued airworthiness, etc., and activities for demonstration and verification of compliance are being prepared.” Final tests and validation will follow, with certification expected by this fall. They are preparing passengers for a professional, slick experience, and setting expectations at a …