Chinese electric aircraft maker AutoFlight said its cargo-carrying electric vertical takeoff and landing,or eVTOL, has become the first in the world to receive airworthiness validation outside its home country, a milestone that could accelerate commercial deployment of the emerging aviation technology in overseas markets.
The company said on Thursday that Indonesia's Directorate General of Civil Aviation had granted a validated type certificate to its V2000CG CarryAll cargo aircraft, clearing it for commercial operations in the Southeast Asian nation.
The approval marked the first time an eVTOL aircraft has obtained type certificate validation from a foreign aviation authority, a key step toward international commercialization for an industry seeking to move beyond pilot projects and demonstrations.
The certification confirms that the aircraft meets both Chinese and Indonesian airworthiness requirements.
"This milestone establishes an operational foundation for commercial eVTOL services in Southeast Asia and advances our global expansion strategy," AutoFlight said in a statement.
The approval comes as eVTOL developers worldwide race to bring electric aircraft into commercial service, targeting markets ranging from passenger air taxis to cargo logistics.
The V2000CG is currently the only ton-class eVTOL aircraft to hold all three major Chinese airworthiness certifications.
