AutoFlight has introduced Matrix, the world’s first 5-ton eVTOL aircraft, successfully completing a public full transition flight demonstration at its low-altitude flight test facility in Kunshan, China on February 5, 2026.

5-Ton eVTOL Achieves Historic Flight Milestone

During the demonstration, Matrix flew alongside AutoFlight’s 2-ton CarryAll cargo eVTOL, completing the full mode transition flight sequence from vertical take-off through cruise flight to vertical landing. The achievement marks the first time a 5-ton eVTOL has achieved full transition flight, validating AutoFlight’s technologies across complex aerodynamic systems, high-power electric propulsion, and advanced flight control systems.

Technical Specifications

Matrix features a 20-metre wingspan, 17.1-metre length, and 3.3-metre height, with a maximum take-off weight of 5,700kg. The cabin measures 5.25m in length, 1.8m in width, and 1.85m in aisle height, providing 13.9m³ of interior volume.

The aircraft will be available in passenger and cargo variants. The passenger version accommodates either 10 business-class seats or six VIP seats with premium amenities including climate control and oversized windows. The cargo variant uses a hybrid power system supporting a maximum payload of 1,500kg, featuring a forward-opening door capable of accommodating two AKE standard air cargo containers.

The pure electric version offers a maximum range of 250km (156 miles), while the hybrid-electric variant extends range to 1,500km (937 miles).

Design and Safety Architecture

Matrix employs AutoFlight’s compound wing Lift and Cruise configuration with a distinctive triplane layout and six-arm structure. The aircraft’s high-voltage architecture incorporates up to 20 fifth-generation lift motors in a distributed propulsion system, providing redundancy to maintain flight capability in single or dual engine failure scenarios.

AutoFlight 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.”

Matrix follows AutoFlight’s established product lineup including Great White Shark for industrial applications, CarryAll for autonomous logistics, and Prosperity for urban air mobility.

More information is available from Autoflight’s website.

Read More

• The Companies Tapped for the Pentagon’s Drone Dominance Push
• FAA Signals Tougher Stance on Unauthorized Drone Operations
• New DIU Project Targets Scalable, Containerized Drone Launch and Recovery Systems