Chinese electric aircraft developer AutoFlight has completed a mixed-fleet formation flight of three aircraft, comprising one V5000 Matrix and two V2000-series eVTOL aircraft. The mission validated communication links, route planning, flight coordination and safety control across 5-ton and 2-ton platforms, demonstrating that different aircraft types can operate together at scale.
Multi-aircraft coordination at scale
AutoFlight said the flight marks a significant step forward in its system integration capabilities and lays the operational groundwork for multi-aircraft coordination in low-altitude logistics, emergency response, maritime support and regional air transport. The company framed it as a concrete step toward the commercial deployment of coordinated multi-aircraft networks in the emerging low-altitude economy.
Heavy-lift V5000 enters certification
The V5000 Matrix is the flagship of AutoFlight's portfolio, designed for heavy-lift, long-range, point-to-point missions. Following its transition flight in February 2026, the cargo hybrid-electric variant V5000CGH has officially entered airworthiness certification, moving from R&D validation to a standardized approval process. The V5000CGH features a maximum take-off weight of 5,700kg, a maximum payload of 1.5 tons, a 14m³ cargo hold accommodating two AKE standard air cargo containers, a cruise speed of 280 km/h and a maximum range of 1,500km.
From emergency response to freight
According to AutoFlight, those specifications address the three constraints that have limited eVTOL mass deployment — payload, range and cost — and extend the operational envelope from urban short-haul into long-haul, heavy-duty logistics. The aircraft is positioned for large-scale emergency rescue, offshore energy and marine support, and heavy feeder logistics linking intercity and interprovincial routes.
A safety-first path to market
AutoFlight says it maintains a regulation-driven approach to airworthiness, drawing on experience from the ARJ21-700, C919 and Diamond DA42 certification programs. The V2000CG CarryAll already holds the full set of CAAC airworthiness certificates, while the six-seat manned V2000EM Prosperity has entered the compliance verification phase. The progress adds to a busy stretch for advanced air mobility, alongside milestones such as Eve's eVTOL hover-test campaign, the opening of Dubai's first commercial eVTOL vertiport, and AI-driven aerospace engineering such as GE Aerospace's generative-AI hypersonic ramjet.
Reporting based on coverage from Robotics & Automation News and AutoFlight.