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AutoFlight completes another first in eVTOL Airtaxis by flying three simultaneously [Video]
Just a few months after setting a world record for the longest flight by an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, AutoFlight has delivered another world first. The company just shared footage of it showing off not one but three of its Prosperity I prototypes flying at once, and it looks awesome. Check out the full video below.
AutoFlight is a Shanghai-based sustainable aviation specialist focused on autonomous eVTOL Airtaxis. We’ve been following the company’s progress for over three years as it continues to hit new milestones with its flagship Prosperity I eVTOL.
First came proof of concept footage of Prosperity I transitioning from vertical to horizontal flight mid-air last year. AutoFlight then gave the public an encore with more extensive flight footage of the eVTOL completing a takeoff and landing a month later.
While further developing its technology in Augsburg, Germany, en route to being certified for passenger flights by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in 2025, AutoFlight took Prosperity I on a 250 km (155 mi) journey through the air – a new world record for eVTOLs.
These public demonstrations have not only caught our attention as electric mobility enthusiasts but also Airtaxi networks like EVFLY, who committed to purchasing over 200 Prosperity I Passenger and Cargo aircraft in March.
These days, AutoFlight may be looking to entice additional customers by showcasing its latest milestone video, flying three Prosperity eVTOLs at once.
Watch AutoFlight fly three eVTOLs side-by-side
Early this morning, AutoFlight shared a press release outlining the details of the video seen below. The footage features a recent test flight of three Prosperity “proof of concept” eVTOL prototypes produced in the last 12 months, taking off and creating a formation flight side-by-side.
Since eVTOL travel remains such a nascent segment in which many competitors have not even completed a test flight, seeing three in the sky at once is a sight, and AutoFlight is touting it as a world first.
The three generations of eVTOL took to the air together and flew for about 42 minutes in total at different altitudes and durations. The top speed reached was 230 km/h (143 mph). Per AutoFlight:
The three aircraft flew at different heights and for different durations. The earliest iteration of Prosperity flew at an altitude of 80m and covered 28km in 12 minutes, the next flew at an altitude of 100m covering 91km in 35 minutes and the latest model covered 120km in 42 minutes achieving an altitude of 120m. All three aircraft transitioned in and out of horizontal and vertical flight whilst in formation
With another key milestone checked off, AutoFlight states it is still planning to transition its eVTOL prototypes into production next year, beginning with the aforementioned Cargo version of the Prosperity I that will first operate in Asia. The company says it will use that version to inform the development of the passenger version to follow “in the coming years” as it meets aviation safety standards required for airliner certification.
As promised, here is the video of the three eVTOLs in formation below.
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Earlier this year, Apple canceled its decade-long Project Titan electric car initiative, but a new report from DigiTimes says that Apple’s electric vehicle ambitions might not be over. According to the story, Apple is “assessing the possibility of teaming up with a certain US EV startup, and Rivian is a very likely candidate.”
The report says that there is “speculation among supply chains” that Apple is investigating teaming up with an EV startup. DigiTimes suggests that Apple could take its 10 years of EV and autonomous driving research and team up with another company instead of making its own car.
While it’s “uncertain what form such a collaboration could take,” this report suggests that Rivian is the leading candidate, based on supply chain sources.
There are no other details provided in the DigiTimes report. It’s unclear what a partnership between Apple and Rivian would look like – or whether Rivian would even be interested in such an arrangement. Still, at least based on DigiTimes supply chain sources, it’s something Apple is “studying.”
9to5Mac’s Take
As much as I’d love to see a partnership between Apple and Rivian, I’m choosing not to get my hopes up about this one. The report is scarce on details, and sounds as if it’s based purely on speculation among Apple’s suppliers. I’d wait for something more concrete before getting too excited.
Perhaps most importantly, Apple could provide Rivian with some crucial cash as the company enters the challenging process of ramping up production of its new R2, R3, and R3X cars.
Do you think Apple should team up with Rivian? What kind of collaboration could Apple have in mind? Let us know down in the comments.
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