In a milestone moment for the aviation industry,
AutoFlight, a leader in autonomous electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology, successfully executed a world-first formation flight of three autonomous eVTOL aircraft in Shanghai, China.
Three of AutoFlight’s industry-leading ‘Prosperity I’ eVTOLs were involved in the ground-breaking flight, demonstrating the company’s capability in rapid prototype design, manufacturing, and its ambition to shape the future of aerial transportation.
Tian Yu, founder of AutoFlight, said: “We aim to complement urban and regional means of transport for all people by building very safe, quiet, and affordable air taxis.”
The company, with dual headquarters in Augsburg, Germany, and Shanghai, China, previously achieved a world-record flight in February 2023 where one of their prototypes covered 250km on a single battery charge, demonstrating the potential for sustainability in the sector.
The historic formation flight saw three generations of the Prosperity I eVTOL, indicating the rapid evolution of the aircraft's development. The company plans to make the prototypes into products, with a cargo version set to be released for cargo transport in Asia next year, and a passenger version gradually developed in the coming years, meeting the highest safety standards for aviation.
Mark Henning, former Airbus Helicopter engineering chief and head of the AutoFlight Europe team, said: “The formation flight is a testament to our commitment towards making aerial transport safe, sustainable, and accessible. We have much more to come.”