Hanoi’s Department of Science and Technology and Vietnam-based HungViet have signed an agreement to pursue a controlled regulatory sandbox for EHang’s pilotless EH216-S electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (taxiing, flying taxi) at Hoa Lac High-Tech Park.

At the signing ceremony on Monday, Hanoi People’s Committee said the proposed program would include controlled EH216-S flight testing, an unmanned aircraft traffic management model and an operations control center model.

The plan also covers building a traffic-management system for unmanned aircraft and an operations control center.

The work can proceed in phases and remains subject to the required application and approval process under Vietnamese rules.

Hung Viet will provide the technology, funding and staff for the sandbox from October and prepare the application, while EHang supplies the aircraft, operating systems and training, the partners said. They would study a commercial “low-altitude economy” model if the testing proves effective.

EHang, listed on Nasdaq, says its EH-216S was the first pilotless passenger-carrying eVTOL to win type, production and airworthiness certificates from China’s aviation regulator. The company has described Vietnam as the second country in a program to expand such trials abroad.

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