A leading developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft delivered a ton-class aircraft on Tuesday, marking a major advancement in the utilization of large eVTOLs.

Having secured the type certificate and production certificate last year, the V2000CG CarryAll, developed by the Shanghai-based AutoFlight, acquired its airworthiness certificate on Monday, making it the world's first fully certified ton-class eVTOL. The certification facilitated its delivery to HIT, a low-altitude transportation company based in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

The fixed-wing cargo aircraft is capable of vertical takeoff and landing without the need for a runway, carrying a payload of up to 400 kilograms over distances of 200 kilometers. It boasts autonomous operation capabilities beyond visual line of sight, day and night, and is equipped with features such as target recognition and precision delivery.

eVTOL aircraft, like the V2000CG CarryAll, offer a payload capacity comparable to helicopters, but at a significantly lower cost. The aircraft have won praise for their potential applications in low-altitude logistics, emergency response and various other fields.

Xie Jia, senior vice-president of AutoFlight, said the V2000CG CarryAll has successfully completed over 40,000 kilometers of safe flights across diverse terrains in China, as well as in countries like the United Arab Emirates and Japan. On June 24, the firefighting variant of the CarryAll aircraft was deployed during China's national-level "Emergency Mission 2025" exercise, which was the first use of large drones for emergency firefighting operations in the country.

These flights have not only validated the aircraft's performance but also allowed the exploration of potential application scenarios, Xie added.

The delivery of the eVTOL aircraft comes at a time when China's low-altitude economy is experiencing rapid growth. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the market value of the sector was projected to surge from the 2023 figure of 500 billion yuan ($70 billion) to 1.5 trillion yuan ($209.44 billion) this year, with estimates suggesting that this figure could reach a staggering 3.5 trillion yuan ($488.67 billion) by 2035.

Following the successful delivery of the ton-class cargo eVTOL, AutoFlight is currently in the process of seeking certification for its five-seat passenger aircraft, according to the company.

Zhang Wenjun contributed to this story.