• Source:JND

Chinese company AutoFlight is nearing the commercial launch of its revolutionary flying cars. The firm recently achieved a major milestone by successfully testing its V5000 Matrix model.

As a leader in the Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) sector, AutoFlight debuted the V5000 Matrix—the world's first eVTOL in the 5-ton category—during a public demonstration this past Thursday. The test flight occurred at the company’s low-altitude facility in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, marking a historic leap in aerospace technology.

Disrupting The Industry

AutoFlight Founder and CEO Tian Yu emphasised the significance of this project, stating that the Matrix is designed to challenge the common perception that eVTOLs are limited to short distances and light payloads. According to Yu, this aircraft will rewrite the rules of aerial routes. By leveraging economies of scale, the V5000 Matrix aims to drastically lower transportation costs per seat and per ton, significantly improving profitability for operators.

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Technical Specifications And Innovations

The V5000 Matrix stands out for its massive scale and efficiency:

Dimensions: It features a 20-meter wingspan, a length of 17.1 meters and a height of 3.3 meters.

Capacity: The spacious cabin (5.25m long and 1.8m wide) offers 13.9 cubic meters of volume, with an aisle height of 1.85m to allow passengers to move comfortably.

Performance: It has a maximum take-off weight of 5,700 kg and an extraordinary range of 1,500 kilometers for the hybrid variant (250 km for the pure electric version).

Cost Efficiency: Operational expenses are estimated to be 10 times lower than those of conventional helicopters.

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Versatile Configurations

The aircraft is being developed for both passenger and cargo use. The passenger version offers flexible layouts, including a 10-seat business-class configuration or a luxurious 6-seat VIP setup. Standard amenities include premium seating, climate control, ambient lighting, a washbasin, a lavatory and large one-square-meter windows for panoramic views.

The cargo variant is equally impressive, capable of carrying a 1.5-ton payload and designed to accommodate two standard AKE air cargo containers. This follows the success of AutoFlight’s smaller two-ton "CarryAll" aircraft, which previously became the first heavy electric cargo eVTOL to receive official civil airworthiness certification in China.

Market Outlook

The future of urban air mobility in China is expanding rapidly. A news portal cnni.cn reports suggest that the Chinese eVTOL market is on track to reach a valuation of 9.5 billion yuan (approximately USD 1.37 billion) by 2026, fueled by advancements in the "low-altitude economy."


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