(Image credit: AutoFlight)
Chinese-founded aerospace company AutoFlight has carried out a 2-ton-class eVTOL transport trial moving fresh spring tea across mountainous terrain in Guizhou province.
The test used its CarryAll (V2000CG), an unmanned electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, to move freshly harvested tea between the cities of Anshun and Guiyang, roughly 120km apart.
That flight crossed rugged mountain terrain in 37 minutes, a trip that typically takes far longer by road due to winding routes and elevation changes common in the region.
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Once the aircraft delivered the tea to Guiyang, the shipment continued by high-speed rail to Shanghai, covering close to 2,000km in total distance.
The combined use of aircraft and rail allowed the tea to reach consumers within 24 hours of harvesting, offering a different way to move time-sensitive agricultural products from remote regions.
Unlike conventional cargo aircraft, the CarryAll operates without an onboard pilot, relying on autonomous flight systems to handle navigation and route execution.
The aircraft supports a maximum payload of 400kg and has a range of up to 200km, with a cruise speed of about 180km/h, making it suited to medium-distance cargo routes where roads are slow or unreliable.
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Vertical takeoff and landing capability removes the need for runways, allowing operations from compact pads near farms or logistics hubs, which could simplify deployment in mountainous or isolated areas.
AutoFlight said the CarryAll (V2000CG) holds Type, Production, and Airworthiness Certificates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, making it one of the earliest large cargo eVTOL platforms to reach that stage of regulatory approval.
“This innovative ‘autonomous eVTOL air transfer + high-speed rail trunk line’ model breaks logistics bottlenecks in high-altitude mountainous areas. AutoFlight will join hands with more partners to extend this efficient, green autonomous cargo model to more specialty agricultural producing areas," said Li Yun, CCO of AutoFlight.
"This will help more high-quality local agricultural products reach national markets quickly, driving regional industrial upgrading and rural revitalization.”
AutoFlight's cargo aircraft have previously flown missions involving offshore platforms, intercity freight, and emergency fire-fighting support, showing how the technology is being tested beyond controlled demonstrations.
The company is also working on a six-seat passenger version, identified as the V2000EM Prosperity, which is undergoing airworthiness certification under Chinese aviation authorities.
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Wayne Williams is a freelancer writing news for TechRadar Pro. He has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for 30 years. In that time he wrote for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a number of them too.
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