AutoFlight successfully performs world's first inter-city demonstration flight

Flight from Shenzhen to Zhuhai took just 20 minutes across the Pearl River Delta, a journey that would take three hours by car.

Demonstration flight showcased AutoFlight’s cutting-edge aviation technology in a highly complex environment, bordering multiple international airports and home to approximately 86 million people.

Flight path is one of 100 eVTOL aerial vehicle routes local government is developing as part of expansive “low-altitude economy” strategy.

Flight was uncrewed and fully autonomous, with certification for crewed passenger flights anticipated within approximately two years.

Unique aspect of eVTOL zero-emissions, pure-electric aviation lies in the aircraft’s vertical take-off capabilities, eliminating the need for a runway, and utilizing wings to preserve energy during cruising, rendering eVTOL aviation both affordable and sustainable.

AutoFlight, the eVTOL pioneer, presented the world’s first inter-city electric air-taxi demonstration flight between the southern Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai, earlier this week. 

AutoFlight’s five-seater Prosperity eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft completed a significant milestone by autonomously flying the 50km (31 miles) route from Shenzhen to Zhuhai. The flight from Shenzhen to Zhuhai across the Pearl River Delta took just 20 minutes, a journey that would require three hours by car. This achievement marks the world’s first public flight of an eVTOL aircraft on a cross-sea and inter-city route, spanning across the bay where the Pearl River meets the sea, connecting the two southern Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai.

This flight marks a significant milestone in the development and road to certification of this exciting new form of mobility. The route between Shenzhen and Zhuhai is part of the future air traffic scenario planned by the regional government as it develops its “low-altitude economy” strategy that will see the opening of thousands of vertiports and hundreds of eVTOL airs routes across the Greater Bay Area in southern China. Low-altitude application scenarios will include passenger transport, tourism, logistics and emergency services. In the short term, plans are in development to achieve 300,000 cargo UAV flights in this region per year.