AutoFlight has successfully completed its first flight in Japan. On November 29, the company’s two-ton eVTOL aircraft completed its maiden demonstration flight in Okayama Prefecture.
The eVTOL flight was accomplished in collaboration with MASC, a Japanese non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the aerospace industry. With full approval from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), this achievement represents a crucial step in MASC’s “Setouchi Community AAM Infrastructure Project 2028” (SCAI28).
The successful demonstration paves the way for future test flights in several Japanese cities, accelerating the path to commercial Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations in Japan. This initiative aligns with the country’s vision for next-generation urban air transportation.
The Setouchi region, a vital coastal area along the Inland Sea of Japan, connects three of the country’s main islands: Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. The region currently faces significant challenges, including aging infrastructure in coastal areas and limited transportation options between the mainland and remote islands. Through the SCAI28 project, MASC aims to address these challenges by implementing innovative air mobility solutions while promoting local industrial development.
AutoFlight’s next-generation eVTOL aircraft features a Lift and Cruise configuration and an all-electric propulsion system. Its vertical takeoff and landing capabilities eliminate the need for traditional runways, while its efficient transition to horizontal cruise flight enables long-range operations. This innovative design strikes an ideal balance of range and efficiency, offering a safe, reliable and environmentally conscious transportation solution. This eVTOL model, along with the new model, are poised to serve a variety of roles in the Setouchi region, from cargo transportation to future enger transportation, as well as healthcare and tourism services.
As countries around the world race to implement Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) solutions, eVTOL technology has emerged as a key enabler. The industry is advancing this through demonstration flights in a variety of scenarios, while also developing essential infrastructure including vertiports, digital management platforms and regulatory frameworks.
AutoFlight has demonstrated its technical prowess through several major flights in 2024. In February and August, the company successfully completed cross-city and cross-sea flights in the Pearl River Delta (Shenzhen to Zhuhai) and a cross-Yangtze River flight in the Yangtze River Delta region near Nanjing, contributing to China’s emerging low-altitude economy. In May, the company’s two-ton eVTOL aircraft achieved a significant 123-kilometer flight in Abu Dhabi with half of its battery level remaining when it landed.
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