EHang Holdings and Hefei Hey Airlines have received certificates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China that allow them to operate autonomous passenger drones, the South China Morning Post reports.
Both companies have been granted the right to use drones for commercial passenger transportation, including city sightseeing tours. The air operator certificate was the last regulatory hurdle to overcome before the drones could be put into operation.
In recent months, China has taken a number of measures to accelerate the development of the low-altitude aviation sector, which includes both the use of drones for delivery and the development of airships and flying cars.
Chinese leaders have identified the low-altitude aviation sector as a key emerging industry and a key driver of economic growth. Premier Li Keqiang, speaking at the National People's Congress in early March, compared the sector to cutting-edge areas such as biotechnology, quantum computing, artificial intelligence and 6G mobile networks.
It is predicted that by the end of 2025, China's low-altitude economy will be 1.5 trillion yuan (US$207 billion), and could grow to 2.5 trillion yuan by 2035.