China's space industry-developed eVTOL aircraft completes first flight

This undated video screenshot shows an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developed by the ninth academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It completed its maiden flight in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- An electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, developed by the ninth academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, completed its maiden flight in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Friday.

Featuring a novel configuration that combines air vehicles and automobile designs, the eVTOL aircraft can seamlessly switch between land and air travel modes to meet diverse transport needs, its developer said.

Consisting of wings, a cabin and a chassis, the aircraft has two major components: an airborne module and a road-going module. The airborne one is capable of carrying two passengers at a speed of 150 km per hour at altitudes below 3,000 meters, and the road-going one, with a fully electric intelligent chassis, can deliver a range exceeding 300 km.

As a multipurpose low-altitude equipment, the eVTOL aircraft can be used in fields such as transportation, logistics and emergency support, according to its developer. ■