EHang's EH216-S is the first piloted eVTOL to hold a complete set of Chinese aviation approvals, clearing type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in October 2023, the world's first eVTOL production certificate in April 2024, a standard airworthiness certificate, and operating certificates issued to its first two operators in March 2025CITE:E1. The EH216-S is an autonomous, pilotless aircraft, and its operating certificates currently authorize passenger flights for low-altitude tourism and urban sightseeingCITE:E1.
EHang has moved beyond certification into commercial volume: it delivered 221 eVTOL aircraft across full-year 2025, made up of 215 units of the EH216 series and 6 units of its VT35 model, with 100 aircraft delivered in the fourth quarter aloneCITE:E2. That fourth quarter also marked EHang's first GAAP profitCITE:E2.
Joby Aviation has entered the fifth and final stage of the FAA's five-stage type certification process, but has not yet received type certification or carried a paying passengerCITE:E3. As of the second quarter of 2026, Joby had 5 aircraft flying that conform to FAA specifications, with another 12 in production, and the company is targeting its first passenger flight in 2026CITE:E3.
Archer Aviation has secured a high-profile commercial anchor rather than a certification milestone: in May 2025, LA28 named Archer the official air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA, with plans for vertiports at sites including SoFi Stadium and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)CITE:E4. Archer's Midnight aircraft has not yet received type certification, making the Olympic role a stated goal rather than an operating serviceCITE:E4.
Germany's Lilium filed for insolvency in October 2024, cut roughly 1,000 jobs, and after a rescue financing deal fell through, filed for insolvency a second time in February 2025, confirming it had ceased operationsCITE:E5. Germany's other eVTOL pioneer, Volocopter, also became insolvent, and in March 2025 its assets were acquired out of insolvency proceedings by Zhejiang Wanfeng (萬豐), the Chinese parent company of Diamond Aircraft, for approximately €10 millionCITE:E6. Wanfeng is keeping Volocopter's operations in Germany and continuing development of the VoloCity aircraft toward EASA type certification, which it is targeting for the fourth quarter of 2026CITE:E6.
| Company | Region | Certification status | Key figures | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EHang (億航) | China | Full CAAC set: type, production, airworthiness, operating certs | 221 aircraft delivered in 2025 (215 EH216 + 6 VT35); 100 in Q4; first GAAP profit in Q4 | Type cert Oct 2023; production cert Apr 2024; operating certs Mar 2025 |
| Joby Aviation | US | FAA type certification, stage 5 of 5 (final) | 5 FAA-conforming aircraft flying; 12 in production | Status as of Q2 2026; targeting first passenger flight in 2026 |
| Archer Aviation | US | Midnight not yet type certified | Named LA28 official air taxi provider; vertiports planned at SoFi Stadium, LAX | Selected May 2025 |
| Lilium | Germany | Ceased operations | ~1,000 jobs cut | First insolvency Oct 2024; second insolvency Feb 2025 |
| Volocopter | Germany | VoloCity pursuing EASA type certification | Acquired for ~€10 million | Acquired Mar 2025; targeting type cert Q4 2026 |
What this means: the numbers place the four companies on different points of the same regulatory ladder. EHang already holds every certificate in China's approval chain and is delivering aircraft and posting a GAAP profit, while Joby sits one stage away from FAA type certification with a handful of conforming aircraft flying, and Archer has a marquee 2028 Olympic commitment resting on an aircraft that is not yet certified. Lilium's exit and Volocopter's sale to a Chinese acquirer show that two of Europe's earliest eVTOL developers ran out of capital before reaching the certification stage EHang has already cleared.
EHang's EH216-S is the first piloted eVTOL to hold a complete set of Chinese aviation approvals, clearing type certification from the Civil Aviation Administrat…
Joby Aviation has entered the fifth and final stage of the FAA's five-stage type certification process, but has not yet received type certification or carried a…
Germany's Lilium filed for insolvency in October 2024, cut roughly 1,000 jobs, and after a rescue financing deal fell through, filed for insolvency a second tim…
The gap here isn't about which aircraft looks more advanced — it's about which regulator has finished its paperwork. EHang's edge is that it holds every certificate in the CAAC chain (type, production, airworthiness, operating) and has already converted that into 221 deliveries and a first GAAP profit, while Joby and Archer are still working through FAA approval with a combined handful of conforming aircraft in the air. Archer's LA28 deal is a real commercial commitment, but it's built on a 2028 deadline for an aircraft that isn't certified yet, and Lilium and Volocopter's insolvencies show how much capital a program can burn before reaching the stage EHang has already cleared. The metric worth watching next is whether Joby actually exits FAA stage five and completes a passenger flight within 2026 as targeted, and whether Volocopter's Chinese-owned VoloCity program hits its own Q4 2026 EASA certification target — those two dates will show whether the US and Europe can close the certification gap or fall further behind it.
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