AutoFlight has delivered its first Prosperity eVTOL aircraft to an Advanced Air Mobility operator in Japan.
The operator is currently developing plans for demonstration eVTOL flights at the 2025 Osaka World Expo, as well as a wider AAM rollout in Japan.
This is also believed to be the world’s first delivery of a civilian ton-class eVTOL aircraft.
In another recent milestone, AutoFlight’s CarryAll aircraft, the cargo variant of Prosperity, obtained Type Certification (TC) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on March 22nd, 2024. According to AutoFlight, this marks the world’s first eVTOL aircraft above one ton to have been awarded type certification.
Tian Yu, founder and co-chairman of AutoFlight, said: “The official delivery of the first Prosperity to a customer signifies a new chapter for AutoFlight as we begin to ship our innovative electric aircraft to global markets. Additionally, on the cargo side the receipt of orders for over 200 CarryAll planes already demonstrates a very strong market demand for our products.“
Referring to CarryAll receiving Type Certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Mr Tian said; “Successfully completing this certification was a lengthy and extremely rigorous process and I would like to thank the review team and all my colleagues for their painstaking efforts. This achievement establishes a robust foundation for AutoFlight’s forthcoming large-scale commercial operations.”
Securing TC airworthiness certification is vital for ensuring the safety and market entry of the aircraft for commercial operations.
The CarryAll, with a maximum take-off weight of 2 tons, operates autonomously and on electric power. Its compliance verification encompassed various aspects, including performance control, stability, lift/thrust system, structural strength/composite blades, battery system, avionics system, electrical system, and flight performance.
The thorough review process involved manufacturing compliance inspections and the witnessing of 46 major compliance verification tests at the equipment level, system level and structural component level. Additionally, the CarryAll airworthiness certification prototype completed eight major compliance tests, including plateau performance, data link and ground station functions, involving 156 flights and exceeding a total flight distance of 10,000 kms.
