For centuries, technology has revolutionized transportation, from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles, trains and airplanes. However, recent developments have brought to the fore a new form of transportation: drone-shaped “flying cars”. Chinese air taxi developer Autoflight recently set a new world record for vertical takeoff and landing by flying 250.3 kilometers on a single charge of its electric aircraft.

Chinese air taxi developer Autoflight has set a new world record by flying 250.3 kilometers on a single charge. An electric aircraft called Prosperity 4 has recently reached this distance, and Autoflight has released a video of the entire flight, including vertical take-off, fixed-wing cruise and vertical landing.

The previous record for longest eVTOL flight was 248.8 km, set in 2021 by California-based eVTOL developer Joby Aviation. Prosperity 4 is an all-electric five-seater with a maximum take-off weight of 2 tons and a top speed of over 200 kilometers per hour. It doesn’t need an airport or runway for takeoff and landing, and it’s quieter, safer, more reliable and cheaper than a helicopter, according to Autoflight.

Company president Omer Bar-Yohai said the firm is working towards obtaining airworthiness certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency by 2025. Founded in 2017, Autoflight has an annual production capacity of 1,000 large eVTOL unmanned aerial vehicles. At the production center in Kunshan, near Shanghai. The management of the company comes from China, Europe and the United States.

This achievement is an important milestone for the eVTOL industry, which aims to revolutionize urban air mobility with electrically powered aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing. With the ability to fly longer distances, eVTOLs can be a more sustainable alternative to conventional helicopters, especially in densely populated areas where noise and air pollution are of major concern.

The record-breaking flight also demonstrates the potential for Chinese companies to compete in the emerging eVTOL market now dominated by American companies. As Autoflight continues to develop its aircraft and document its safe airworthiness, it could become a major player in the growing eVTOL industry. As more companies enter the market and develop new technologies, we can expect even more impressive developments in the future.