Sri Lanka is set to conduct its first official trial of an autonomous passenger drone transport service today (11) at the Colombo Port City premises, marking an initial step towards introducing the technology to the country.
The trial will feature electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) passenger aircraft manufactured by Chinese company EHang.
These aircraft can take off and land vertically without requiring a runway and are being considered for potential use in passenger transportation, tourism and emergency services.
A special discussion on introducing the technology in Sri Lanka was held at the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation in August.
The initiative is initially planned as a pilot project rather than a commercial service, with trial operations expected to continue at Colombo Port City for approximately six months.
An EHang E216 passenger drone, capable of carrying two passengers, was recently imported to Sri Lanka for the project.
The aircraft is equipped with 16 propellers, 12 battery packs and three flight control systems, and operates through a computer-based control system. It can also be remotely controlled from a central station.
In the event of an emergency or communication failure, the aircraft is reportedly designed to automatically activate safety procedures.
Implementing the project will require coordination among several government institutions, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Defence and the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The proposed service could also create opportunities for transporting tourists by air to destinations such as Sigiriya, Pidurangala and various island-based tourist attractions in the future.
