About
On 17 November 2025, the EHang EH216-S completed the first urban human-carrying pilotless eVTOL flights in the Middle East — short trial flights between the Port of Doha and Katara Cultural Village in Doha, Qatar. According to EHang's IR release, the 8-minute flight replaces a ~30-minute drive.
The flights received operational authorization from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA), with strategic support from the Ministry of Transport (MoT) under the framework of the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the MoT Strategy 2025–2030. Minister of Transport HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani witnessed the trial flight on 15 November 2025 per the MoT release.
These were demonstration flights, not commercial service. No follow-on commercial operations have been announced.
Key facts
Timeline
- 2025-11-15Minister of Transport HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani witnesses trial flight. [mot-qatar-2025-11]
- 2025-11-17EHang IR release announces first urban human-carrying pilotless eVTOL flights in Middle East between Port of Doha and Katara Cultural Village. [ehang-2025-11-17]
Practical info
How to get there
By metro
Katara accessible via Doha Metro (Katara station, Gold Line).
By car
Drive between Port of Doha and Katara: ~30 minutes via Al Corniche Street and Lusail Expressway.
From the airport
n/a — Doha is approximately 380 km flight from DXB.
Regulatory status
The flights received operational authorization from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA), distinct from the Ministry of Transport (MoT) which provided strategic policy support. The framework aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 and MoT Strategy 2025–2030. As of 20 May 2026, no Qatar-specific eVTOL operational regulation has been published as a standalone document — QCAA's authorization was on a case-by-case basis.
Current progress
As of 20 May 2026, the 17 November 2025 trial flights remain the only urban-corridor eVTOL flights conducted in the Middle East. No follow-on commercial operations have been announced by EHang or QCAA.
Connected entities
Aircraft
Frequently asked questions
What is the Port of Doha ↔ Katara flight?
Was this a commercial flight?
Who authorized the flight?
Is the EH216-S certified in Qatar?
Will this route operate commercially?
Sources
- [ehang-2025-11-17] EHang IR — EH216-S Conducts First Urban Human-Carrying Pilotless eVTOL Flights in the Middle East, Partnering with Qatar's Ministry of Transport (17 Nov 2025) operator-ir · accessed 2026-05-20
- [mot-qatar-2025-11] Qatar Ministry of Transport — Minister Witnesses Trial of First Flight with Unmanned eVTOL in Qatar government · accessed 2026-05-20
Verification flags
- Trial flights only — no commercial operations.
- QCAA authorized on a case-by-case basis; no standalone Qatar-specific eVTOL operational regulation published.
- Number of flights, payload, and exact route waypoints not published in detail in primary sources.