China's AutoFlight to bring eVTOL to Europe "by 2025"

Chinese eVTOL firm AutoFlight has opened its first major hub in Europe as part of plans to bring carbon-neutral public transport to the continent by 2025 at the latest.

A team led by former Airbus manager Mark Henning have established a foothold at Augsburg Airport in Germany with its first goal of achieving European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) flight certification over the next four years.

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With a reported range of 250 miles, AutoFlight's "Prosperity I" airtaxi - its first manned aircraft - could soon offer long-range flights to other hubs in Europe, following the establishment of the R&D hub at Augsburg which will aid the company's expansion further afield.

AutoFlight's founder Tian Yu claims that safety remains its "main priority", with plans to make each airtaxi "as safe as an airliner", working "closely with European authorities".

He added he was excited to bring AutoFlight's brand of "next-generation" eVTOL to the European market.

"We are bringing aircraft construction back to Augsburg, creating a high-tech location and jobs as we build drones and create a completely new market segment for airtaxis", Henning revealed in a statement.

"What I like about AutoFlight and ‘Prosperity I’ is the underlying simple concept. Simplicity translates into safety and efficiency".

Henning, who was only recently hired at the Shanghai-based startup, has been a veteran of the aerospace industry for over two decades, with his most recent work being for Airbus in Indonesia, South Korea, Israel, South Africa and the United States.

AutoFlight claims its unique selling point is its ‘lift and cruise’ configuration which allows for simplicity of design while minimising power use - effectively maximising range while reducing costs. It uses new technologies, including artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, 5G, and materials to drive developments in the eVTOL sector.

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It claims to be one of the first companies in China to pioneer the concept of autonomous air taxis, supposedly having completed 10,000 flights in different weather conditions.

Manned flights and feasibility studies for the Prosperity I are set to commence in the coming weeks.

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