AutoFlight has delivered the first unit of its Prosperity eVTOL aircraft to a customer in Japan.
According to the Chinese advanced air mobility developer, this marks the world’s first delivery of a civilian eVTOL aircraft that weighs more than a ton.
The customer, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, intends to use the Prosperity eVTOL during the Expo 2025 Osaka, which will take place in the Japanese city between April 13-Oct 13, 2025, as a first step towards a rollout across Japan at a later stage.
The cargo version of the Prosperity, called “CarryAll”, obtained its type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on March 22, 2024. However, the Prosperity is yet to be certified in the country, so it is not yet clear when its unnamed operator will be able to fly the aircraft in Japanese airspace.
Expo 2025 Osaka is shaping up to be something of a coming-of-age moment for the advanced air mobility industry. At least three other eVTOL developers, Vertical Aerospace, Volocopter and Joby Aviation, have confirmed plans to operate eVTOLs during the international event in cooperation with local Japanese partners, provided they manage to complete the required technological developments on time.