Chinese start-up AutoFlight has successfully conducted a transition flight with its five-tonne-class electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The demonstration took place at AutoFlight’s test facility in Shanghai, where the Matrix eVTOL completed a public full transition flight. In other words, it lifted off vertically like a helicopter, switched into forward flight like an aeroplane and then returned to vertical mode to land.
The firm says this is the first time this complex manoeuvre has been achieved by a five-tonne-class eVTOL, and validates its eVTOL technologies across complex aerodynamic systems, high-power electric propulsion and advanced flight control systems.
While most eVTOL prototypes to date have been more of the taxi-style aircraft carrying one of two passengers, this demonstrates that payload capacity can be far greater.
The demonstration flight can be viewed in the video below:
The 1,500kg aircraft measures 17.1 metres long and 3.3 metres high, with a 20...