Gen 4 Prototype Flies 156.7 Miles in Circular Pattern, Besting Joby by 3 km

Chinese manufacturer AutoFlight announced the completion of a long-distance test flight using the 4th generation of their eVTOL aircraft, the Prosperity I. accompanied by some footage of the flight.

The flight was confirmed with the addition of ForeFlight and Stratus GPS, allowing them to maintain a continuous record of the track, speed, and altitude throughout the test. Ultimately, the prototype flew 250.64 km, about 3 km longer than the last eVTOL distance record set by Joby in 2021.

The test is a good way to test out the range of the Prosperity I, which is said to have 150+ statute miles on tap given at a comfortable cruise speed around 130 mph. The test marks a dark horse's entry into the eVTOL race, particularly given the impressive amount of headway made by AutoFlight since pivoting away from smaller uncrewed aircraft in 2020. To have caught up with, and surpassed long-timers like Joby (founded more than a decade ago) is a feather in the cap for the Prosperity I design. AutoFlight believes it can achieve EASA type certification in 2025, and improve its performance to the point it can cover more than its current 250 km range at a 200 km/h cruise.

“This flight is both a great celebratory milestone, and a testament to the team's incredible effort and progress in testing and incrementally pushing the aircraft's performance envelope," said Autoflight President Omer Bar-Yohay. "It's a remarkable achievement that shows our aircraft's capability, and we are excited to continue working towards our next goals all the way to EASA certification in 2025.”

FMI: www.autoflight.com