• CAASL to conduct eVTOL trials at Port City on 11 November 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) is preparing to officially launch Chinese-made electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at Colombo Port City on 11 November, following several preliminary technical assessments, CAASL Director General Captain Daminda Rambukwella said.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, he said the proposed Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) initiative was aimed at introducing an alternative mode of transport for tourists and others travelling from Colombo to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and other destinations within a range of around 25 kilometres. Several trials were conducted at Port City yesterday (8) ahead of the official demonstration.

The aircraft, developed by China-based EHang Intelligence, is an autonomous, fully electric passenger-carrying aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing without a conventional runway. Rambukwella said it had undergone more than 100,000 air tests and was currently the only type-certified autonomous passenger-carrying drone of its kind.

He explained that AAM broadly consists of piloted and pilotless autonomous aircraft, with the EHang aircraft falling into the latter category. The aircraft has received type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), while CAASL has developed implementing standards and regulatory requirements based on the relevant certification to ensure safety and regulatory compliance in Sri Lanka.

The initial trials will be conducted using sandbags to simulate passenger loads and assess the aircraft’s performance under controlled conditions. Human passengers will not be involved at this stage. “We will initially use sandbags for the test trials. Several tests have already been conducted, and we are now working towards the next stage of the demonstration,” Rambukwella said.

He further said CAASL was also working on the safety and regulatory framework required before the technology could be introduced for operational use in Sri Lanka.

The project was brought to Sri Lanka through the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Regional Office following discussions with ICAO Regional Director Tao Ma. Rambukwella said Sri Lanka had been identified as a suitable location for demonstrating the technology due to its aviation safety and security standards.

Port City was selected as the initial demonstration site because of airspace restrictions in several other parts of Colombo, particularly around key Government installations. The designated area would allow the aircraft to be tested under controlled conditions while authorities assess its operational and safety requirements.

Although the aircraft is autonomous, Rambukwella said its operation would require an appropriate air traffic management system. CAASL is therefore examining the development of a low-level air traffic management framework to regulate such operations and integrate them safely into Sri Lanka’s existing aviation system.

The aircraft being considered can carry two passengers and has an estimated operational range of around 25 kilometres. Rambukwella said a journey of that distance could eventually cost around USD 50 per passenger, which would be considerably cheaper than conventional helicopter transport. However, he stressed that this was only an indicative figure and not a confirmed commercial fare.

He also stressed that the November demonstration should not be considered the beginning of commercial passenger services, as further technical assessments and regulatory arrangements would be required before such operations could begin.