AutoFlight, a domestic pioneer in electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), has conducted the world's first inter-city electric air-taxi demonstration flight in Guangdong province. The flight took place on February 27 between Shenzhen and Zhuhai. The flight took off from Shekou Cruise Home Port in Shenzhen and landed in Jiuzhou Port in neighboring Zhuhai. The straight-line distance between the two places is less than five kilometers, but traveling by car means taking a detour by way of the Nansha or Humen bridges, which can take two to three hours. The flight will provide a faster option for passengers shuttling between Shenzhen and Zhuhai, said AutoFlight. The aircraft is expected to cut the need for traditional airports and runways and shorten the inter-city trip to just 20 minutes.
The company said that the core modules are domestically produced. The craft is designed to carry five people at up to 200 kilometers per hour, and it can operate for up to 250 kilometers on a single charge. According to the company, it is the only aircraft in the world with that flight range. It is applying for an airworthiness certificate and is expected to start regular passenger flights in 2026. The successful maiden flight underscores China's rising competitiveness in terms of research and development (R&D) in aviation. The aircraft may also be used for logistics and sightseeing, said market insiders. Many companies around the world aim to produce and operate such aircraft, Wang Peng, Associate Researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. It will serve booming transportation demand in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Wang added.
The fast development of the low-altitude economy in Shenzhen is backed by China's growing efforts in the field, including policy support. Chinese policymakers have attached great importance to the development of the low-altitude economy as a strategic emerging sector, experts said. The estimated value of the nation's low-altitude economy surpassed CNY500 billion in 2023, and is expected to quadruple by 2030, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). There are 689 general aviation firms in China, with 3,173 general aviation aircraft and 451 general aviation airports. By the end of 2023, there were more than 1,700 drone companies in Shenzhen, a global innovation hub, with an annual output value of CNY96 billion, the Global Times reports.
The China Daily adds that the Shenzhen-Zhuhai route is among the 100 eVTOL aerial vehicle routes planned by the local government to tap the low-altitude economy and facilitate transportation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Tian Yu, Founder, CEO and Co-chairman of AutoFlight, said, “We are thrilled to showcase Auto-Flight’s cutting-edge capabilities in the world’s first cross-sea and intercity eVTOL demonstration flight.” Highlighting the cooperation with local authorities and global partners in this field, Tian said he expects a future where safe, efficient and sustainable eVTOL flights become an essential feature of cities worldwide. Shenzhen Eastern General Aviation Co, or Heli-Eastern, said it is considering the purchase of 100 Prosperity models, eyeing the booming transportation demand between key transportation hubs in the GBA.
China labeled the low-altitude economy as a strategic emerging industry last year, with more than 10 regions nationwide, including Shenzhen, already unveiling plans to develop the field in their 2024 government work reports. As a pioneer embracing the low-altitude economy concept, Shenzhen has been a trailblazer in the unmanned aerial vehicle sector and has released crucial documents to support its infrastructure development. Guo Yi, an investment feasibility study researcher at the Shenzhen- based China Development Institute, said: “As the applications for low-altitude flights expand, low-altitude flight services are poised to move beyond specialized and high-end uses, reaching a broader market. This shift is expected to catalyze the rapid growth of related industries such as low-altitude manufacturing and support services, presenting substantial developmental opportunities. “Shenzhen, with its significant economic scale and vibrant development, boasts residents with strong purchasing power, which suggests a considerable latent demand for low-altitude services and the growing variety of application scenarios is expected to expedite the concentration and development of industry leaders in this area.”
