Chinese electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) vehicle manufacturer EHang has participated in coronavirus epidemic control exercises organized by local authorities in Guangxi province, its 216 autonomous air vehicle transporting medical supplies to a hospital.

The two-seat EHang 216 made an unmanned 8-km (5-mi.) roundtrip flight from a public square to a hospital rooftop in Hezhou city. This has opened up an opportunity for “immediate” urban air mobility applications in emergency medical transport, EHang says.

The 216 also made an autonomous passenger flight, carrying EHang’s chief strategy officer 4 km from the city center to the 25th-story hospital rooftop. This demonstrated the ability to transport medical personnel, the company says.

This was one of a series of urban passenger-carrying trials, including night flights, EHang says, to test the medical transport use case in Hezhou, up to ranges covering the entire city (more than 15 km) and cruise speeds of 90 kph (56 mph).