Shanghai-based AutoFlight is celebrating a landmark event in aviation history. The company has pridefully completed the first-ever delivery of a ton-class electric-vertical-take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft to an innovative Advanced Air Mobility operator in Japan.
Eyeing the 2025 Osaka World Expo
The Prosperity, AutoFlight’s five-seater marvel, is slated to be a part of demonstration flights scheduled to occur at the highly anticipated 2025 Osaka World Expo. These demonstrations aim to unfold the prospective future and practicality of AAM, showcasing its appeal and readiness to the world.
Time to Fly: The Emergence of eVTOL
With plans to expand AAM across Japan, the eVTOL ecosystem is rapidly achieving new heights. AutoFlight’s significant development comes right on the heels of the company’s cargo variant, CarryAll, receiving a coveted Type Certification (TC) from China’s aviation authority, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
Pioneering eVTOL for Cargo
The recognition of AutoFlight’s CarryAll marks a global first for eVTOLs exceeding one ton, certified ready for commercial endeavors. Tian Yu, AutoFlight’s visionary founder and co-chairman, elaborated on the company’s progress, “The shipment of our advanced electric aircraft to global markets embarks on a new exciting chapter for AutoFlight.”
Tian emphasized the robust demand for their aerial innovations, noting over 200 firm orders for CarryAll, including 30 from ZTO Express, a prominent player in the logistics arena.
Proving Airworthiness: The Rigorous Journey to Type Certification
The path to securing airworthiness certification is exhaustive, involving intricate layers of assessments – from structural integrities, avionic systems, and battery packs to actual flight performance. This extensive process for CarryAll included over a hundred flights and a substantial range of compliance tests, ensuring its readiness for large-scale operations.
Setting a World Precedent: Shenzhen to Zhuhai eVTOL Flight
Previously, in a remarkable undertaking, AutoFlight’s Prosperity aircraft conquered an autonomous eVTOL journey between Shenzhen and Zhuhai. This 50km cross-sea expedition is the first of its kind, demonstrating AutoFlight’s exceptional capabilities in what could be the future of inter-city travel.
The trajectory of Shenzhen-Zhuhai is a mere glimpse into the Greater Bay Area’s vision for an eVTOL-active ‘low-altitude economy’. Amidst the backdrop of one of Earth’s most densely-populated locales, AutoFlight’s demonstration leapfrogs the traditional norms of mobility.
As urban air mobility continues to evolve, AutoFlight undeniably leads the charge, perfecting the symphony of technology and regulation, and redefining the skies with its innovative eVTOL solutions.
