Aviation News – 23 July 2025
In a landmark development for the global aviation industry, AutoFlight, a Shanghai-based eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) pioneer, has delivered the world’s first fully certified ton-class eVTOL aircraft to Guangzhou’s low-altitude transport company HIT. The delivery follows the V2000CG CarryAll’s successful acquisition of an airworthiness certificate on Monday, making it the first aircraft of its class to receive full certification—including type and production certificates.
The V2000CG CarryAll, a fixed-wing cargo drone with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, can carry payloads of up to 400 kilograms over 200 kilometers. It features autonomous beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations, day/night functionality, target recognition, and precision delivery.
Offering similar payload capacity to helicopters but at a lower cost, the CarryAll is gaining traction for use in logistics, emergency response, and low-altitude transportation. According to AutoFlight senior vice president Xie Jia, the aircraft has safely completed more than 40,000 kilometers of flight across China, the UAE, and Japan. Notably, its firefighting variant was deployed during China’s national “Emergency Mission 2025” exercise in June—the first such use of large drones in emergency operations.
AutoFlight is now pursuing certification for a five-seat passenger eVTOL amid rapid expansion of China’s low-altitude economy.
Photo Rob Vogelaar
