V600 (prototype)
AutoFlight
Shanghai, China
www.autoflightx.com

AutoFlight was founded in February of 2018 by Yu Tian (formerly Yuneec International Electric Aviation), the creator of Chinese drone company Yuneec International. The company's Global Headquarter is in Shanghai, China. The company is in the business of designing and manufacturing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) passenger aircraft for advanced air mobility (AAM). The company also designs and manufacturers heavy-lift eVTOL air cargo drones. In addition company manufacturers hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft. Originally, the company's European location was named AutoFlightX but that named is no longer used and the current global company name is AutoFlight.

The company has locations in Los Angeles, California, USA and in Munich, Germany. The company uses the aviation network of the Munich Metropolitan Region as well as the Technical University of Munich. Their philosophy for making eVTOL aircraft is reliability, sustainability and most importantly, safety first.

In 2017, Tian Yu designed a concept VTOL aircraft called the BAT600. The concept aircraft had a fixed wing, eight lifting propellers on two booms, a tail stabilizer (formed at the back of the two booms), one pusher propeller for forward flight and tricycle landing gear. It was possibly a one-person aircraft. It was originally designed to be either fully electric or a hybrid VTOL aircraft. The BAT600 is now defunct. However, an evolved (or a newly designed?) prototype was revealed to the public in 2019 called the V600.

V600 passenger eVTOL prototype aircraft
The AutoFlight V600 full-sized prototype was unveiled at the aviation trade show, Aero Friedrichshafen 2019 in Germany on April 10, 2019. The V600 prototype is an all electric, two-place aircraft with two sets of wings (typically called a canard wing configuration), tricycle landing gear, six propellers for lift (fitted on two booms parallel to the fuselage) and a pusher propeller for forward flight that is attached to the back of the fuselage. The above graphic shows eight VTOL propellers but the prototype has six VTOL propellers.

While it's a little difficult to see in these photos, there is one propeller fixed underneath at the end of each boom, for a subtotal of four propellers. Then notice there is a propeller fixed above, at the center of each boom, for a subtotal of two propellers. Together, there is a grand total of six lifting propellers.

Future
The company expects their eVTOL aircraft can be used as autonomous air taxis, regular piloted sports aircraft and as unmanned autonomous cargo drones. The company has recently stated they hope to have a flying prototype in 2019. "The final vehicle—not yet publicly revealed—will carry three to five passengers and incorporate changes, such as the position of propellers, to meet EASA certification requirements." as quoted from this April 10, 2019 Aviation International News Online article.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: eVTOL two passenger prototype aircraft
• Piloting: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Propellers: 7 propellers (6 VTOL-only propellers, 1 pusher propeller)
• Electric motors: 9 electric motors
• Power source: Batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Window: Canopy over cockpit
• Wings: Canard wings
• Tail: Two booms each with ventral fins
• Landing gear: Fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft.

Related Aircraft:

• AutoFlight Albatross V400 (production model)
• AutoFlight BAT600 (defunct)
• AutoFlight Carryall V2000CG (production model)
• AutoFlight F240 Hot Wheels (defunct)
• AutoFlight Firefighting (production model)
• AutoFlight Prosperty (production model)
• AutoFlight Prosperity I V1500M (prototype)
• AutoFlight V880CG (prototype)
• AutoFlight V1000 (prototype)
• AutoFlight V1200 (concept design)

Company Insights:

• Pitchbook
• Crunchbase
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Autoflight website
• Autoflight YouTube Channel
• Autoflight Instagram
• Autoflight LinkedIn
• Article: AutoFlightX Takes Wraps off All-electric Demonstrator, Aviation International News Online, Apr. 10, 2019
• Article: AutoFlightX wants to fly the V600 later this year, Aero Buzz, Apr. 12, 2019
• Video: AutoflightX V600 EVTOL two-seat Demonstrator at AERO Freidrichshafen, MUC-Spotter, Apr. 14, 2019
• Article: AutoFlightX Breaks Cover, Electric VTOL News, Apr. 18, 2019
• Article: AutoFlightX Prepares for Takeoff, Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2019