Rwanda has made aviation history by conducting Africa’s first-ever public flight of a self-flying passenger drone, placing the country at the forefront of advanced air mobility on the continent.
The demonstration, held in Kigali during the Africa Aviation Summit 2025, featured the EHang EH216-S, a pilotless electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The two-seat, fully electric drone soared to an altitude of about 100 meters, navigating autonomously without an onboard pilot. President Paul Kagame and senior government officials attended the event, which marked a continental first for autonomous air taxis.
The flight was organized through a partnership between the Government of Rwanda, the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), and Chinese aviation technology firm EHang Holdings Limited.
The collaboration underscores Rwanda’s ambition to pioneer Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) as a solution to urban congestion, carbon emissions, and sustainable transportation challenges.
“This is more than just a demonstration. It is a glimpse into how Rwanda envisions its cities and economy: connected, efficient, and sustainable,” said Jimmy Gasore, Minister of Infrastructure
The EH216-S can travel up to 30 kilometers at speeds of about 130 km/h, powered by 16 electric motors across eight arms. Officials said the technology could significantly reduce travel times in congested urban areas like Kigali.
Huang Qilin, CRBC’s Rwanda director general, described the project as a symbol of long-term cooperation between China and Rwanda in building the “low-altitude economy” across Africa. He added that Rwanda’s demonstration builds on its earlier deployments in Asia and the Middle East, expanding its global footprint in autonomous aviation.
Rwanda has already established itself as a leader in aviation innovation, pioneering drone delivery of medical supplies and investing in electric mobility infrastructure, including charging networks and e-buses. The introduction of pilotless passenger drones marks the latest step in this trajectory.
Globally, passenger drones, sometimes called “flying taxis”, are gaining traction in countries like China, the UAE, and parts of Europe as eco-friendly, electric-powered alternatives for short-distance urban travel. Rwanda’s successful debut positions it among the world’s early movers in this futuristic sector and signals Africa’s entry into the next generation of urban mobility.
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