EHang now has a logistics version of its EHang 216 autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) that will be deployed for short-to-medium-haul air logistics missions in urban and rural areas.

The heavy lift EHang 216L can carry a payload of up to 200 kg, according to a news release. It features a fully redundant safety design with a distributed electric propulsion configuration of eight arms and 16 independent motors and propellers. The design incorporates safety, autopiloting, cluster management, interconnection and clean energy.

The system opens up commercial opportunities for logistics use cases that require frequent and point-to-point flight tasks. In mountainous areas with poor road conditions, for example, the system can quickly transport agricultural products. It can deliver supplies to offshore oil rigs, provide aid on a large scale during time critical missions such as disaster relief, and get supplies to international points more efficiently.

“EHang 216L will meet the demand for heavy-lift AAVs for short-to-medium-haul aerial logistics,” EHang’s Founder, Chairman and CEO Hu Huazhi said, according to the release. “With increasing payloads and flight ranges, aerial logistics is expected to be one of the initial commercial applications of AAVs as it has higher efficiencies but lower emissions than the conventional ground transportation. The launch of the EHang 216L also complements our existing aerial logistics AAV portfolio, which consists of the medium-sized Falcon B and the small-sized GD 2.0X. It also enables us to meet customer needs in various aerial logistics use cases.”