A view of the five-seat eVTOL aircraft, Matrix 1, independently developed by Zhongshan FCourier Aviation Technology Co. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

　　China's first domestically developed 2-ton electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft is expected to obtain airworthiness certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China by the end of 2025, according to a senior manager of the developer.

　　Matrix 1 — a five-seat eVTOL aircraft independently developed by Zhongshan FCourier Aviation Technology Co Ltd, a professional industrial-grade unmanned aerial system provider based in Zhongshan, Guangdong province, completed its maiden flight in October 2023.

　　The large eVTOL aircraft received an acceptance for airworthiness application from the CAAC in January last year, becoming the first accepted 2-ton aircraft in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

　　“Pre-sales of the eVTOL aircraft have already commenced, with potential orders in place,“ said Zhou Ping, the company's director of government public affairs.

　　The aircraft, featuring a composite wing configuration and operating solely on electric power, can fly 250 kilometers on a single charge at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour.

　　“In the future, boarding an all-electric air taxi will allow for a 15-minute flight from Tanzhou to Shiqi town in the city,“ said Zhou.

　　In addition to the eVTOL aircraft, the company has also launched a series of industrial-grade drones, represented by the E6A drone, which have been widely used in areas such as maritime anti-smuggling, emergency firefighting and energy facility inspections.