Autoflight, founded in 2016 and based in Shanghai, China, is an aviation technology company specializing in autonomous flight and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturing. The company, with R&D facilities in Munich and Shenzhen and manufacturing across China, was established by Mr. Tian Yu, who also founded Yuneec, known for its consumer drones and electric ultralights. Autoflight prioritizes safety and reliability, integrating technologies such as new materials, AI, autonomous tech, and multi-redundant flight control systems.
The company’s Prosperity I, an eVTOL designed for urban air mobility, can carry four passengers and luggage with a range of 250 km (155 miles) and a cruise speed of 200 km/h (124 mph). Simplified to reduce costs and complexity, the aircraft uses fixed landing legs instead of retractable wheels. German investor Lukasz Gadowski invested $100M in Autoflight, supporting development and aiming for European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification by 2025.
A full-scale test flight of the Prosperity I in June 2022 demonstrated its ability to transition between vertical and horizontal flight, covering over 14 km at speeds up to 172 km/h. In February 2023, Autoflight claimed a world record for the longest eVTOL flight on battery power, a step towards EASA certification. The aircraft is expected to be priced at around $150,000 USD and manufactured in China, featuring 13 propellers, electric motors, and a carbon fiber composite fuselage.
Key Takeaways:
- Autoflight is advancing in the field of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technology with a focus on autonomous flight and has established a significant presence in multiple global locations.
- The Prosperity I eVTOL, developed by Autoflight, is designed for urban air mobility with a long range and high-speed capabilities, featuring redundancy and simplified systems for safety and cost-efficiency.
- Autoflight’s Prosperity I has demonstrated significant progress by completing a record-breaking long-distance flight on battery power, moving closer to achieving European regulatory certification by 2025.
“On March 2, 2023, AutoFlight claimed they made a world record for the longest eVTOL aircraft flight using only battery power.”
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