AutoFlight completes cross-Yangtze River flight in latest milestone with its Prosperity eVTOL aircraft

AutoFlight has accomplished an inaugural cross-Yangtze River flight with its Prosperity eVTOL plane.

The journey, which came about yesterday (Thursday), started on the Nanjing unmanned aerial automobile (UAV) base in Pukou District, Nanjing, the place the plane took off. It flew over the Yangtze River — the longest river in Eurasia and third largest on the earth — and circled alongside the river earlier than returning to base.

The flight coated a distance of 25km and the flight took 10 minutes. It additionally marked the primary cross-Yangtze River journey by an eVTOL plane weighing multiple ton.

As a key transportation hub on the Yangtze River, Nanjing is considered one of China’s main financial centres. Regardless of a number of bridges spanning the Yangtze River, the 5.5km straight-line distance between Nanjing UAV Base and Yuzui Wetland Park requires a 20km (12.4‑mile) drive which takes 25 minutes.

However with an eVTOL plane, this distance might be coated in simply 5 minutes, reducing journey time by 80 per cent.

Town of Nanjing, which lies 270km (170 miles) west-northwest of Shanghai, is understood for its scenic spots but additionally visitors congestion. Throughout holidays, visitors delays round standard sights could make journey 10 instances slower than regular.

AutoFlight says the introduction of eVTOL plane presents an answer which might assist ease highway congestion, whereas offering vacationers with aerial views of the historic metropolis to boost each comfort and the sightseeing expertise.

Moreover, regardless of the presence of 29 central cities alongside the Yangtze River, many areas stay arduous to achieve. Cross-river flights utilizing eVTOL plane would offer an environment friendly and handy journey answer, remodeling the Yangtze from a pure barrier right into a thoroughfare.

AutoFlight’s Prosperity has a most take-off weight of two,200 kg, and incorporates a five-seat cabin design. Its ‘elevate and cruise’ wing configuration permits for vertical take-off, just like a multi-rotor plane or helicopter.

As soon as in flight mode, it transitions to fixed-wing flight for horizontal cruising. With its versatility in take-off and touchdown, effectivity, comfort, and environmental security, it stands as a great selection for air-taxis.

The eVTOL plane will probably be utilised for point-to-point air journey inside cities and intercity areas, with the target being to finally provide pricing just like ground-based automobile providers.

Noteworthy current achievements embrace setting world data for single battery cost flight distances (250.3km/155 miles) and finishing up a ground-breaking formation flight of three autonomous eVTOL plane.

It additionally accomplished the world’s first inter-city eVTOL air-taxi flight from Shenzhen to Zhuhai in February 2024 and achieved the primary long-distance (123-km) flight of a tonne-class eVTOL within the Center East.

AutoFlight’s CarryAll cargo plane obtained kind certification (TC) in March 2024 from the Civil Administration Authority of China (CAAC). So far, AutoFlight has accomplished greater than 10,000 eVTOL flights.

The submit AutoFlight completes cross-Yangtze River flight in latest milestone with its Prosperity eVTOL aircraft appeared first on eVTOL Insights.

The submit AutoFlight completes cross-Yangtze River flight in latest milestone with its Prosperity eVTOL aircraft appeared first on eVTOL Insights.