AutoFlight debut ‘world’s first’ 10-passenger eVTOL
By Elsie Clark
Chinese developers AutoFlight have debuted Matrix, what they claim is the world’s first 10-passenger eVTOL. Weighing five tons, the air taxi took to the skies for the first time in a public demonstration on 5 February.
AutoFlight say the design even includes washbasins and lavatories in the cabin. Most eVTOLs in development are configured for four to six passengers, meaning Matrix could represent a significant advancement.
AutoFlight’s CEO and Founder, Tian Yu, said:
Matrix is not only a rising star in the aviation industry but also an ambitious industry disruptor. It will break the industry perception that eVTOL = short-haul, low-load, and will reshape the rules of eVTOL routes.
With a 20-metre wingspan, the aircraft uses up to 20 fifth-generation lift motors, providing reliability in the event of engine failure. At the demonstration, Matrix successfully completed the full transition sequence, from vertical take-off to cruise flight and vertical landing. AutoFlight’s CarryAll cargo eVTOL also participated in the demonstration.
The pure-electric Matrix variant can travel up to 200km in one journey, while the hybrid variant has a range up to 1,500km.
Yu added: Through economies of scale, it significantly reduces transportation costs per seat-kilometre and ton-kilometre, revolutionizing costs and embracing profitability. It covers all scenarios from urban commuting to intercity feeder routes, driving the expansion of the entire low-altitude ecosystem.
