The global market for electric vertical takeoff aircraft

Potential users of these aircraft include logistics, agriculture and airlines, emergency services and security, as well as representatives of the tourism industry.

Most eVTOLs are still in the testing phase and vary greatly in speed and altitude, as well as the weight they can carry. Analysts at Morgan Stanley say the main challenge for operators of these aircraft is the tightly controlled airspace restrictions, especially in and around cities.

Shanghai-based AutoFlight has received an airworthiness certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for its CarryAll unmanned aerial vehicle. It is the world's first eVTOL weighing more than 1 ton to pass regulatory inspection.

AutoFlight Vice President Kellen Xie noted that while the company is seeking similar approvals in Europe, the CAAC is very active in supporting the new industry. "They are determined to accelerate the process of making this new technology a reality," he said.

AutoFlight is backed by German tech investor Team Global and American fund TDK, as well as Chinese companies, with headquarters and a factory in Kunshan (a western suburb of Shanghai) and a production and testing center in Shandong in the north of the country.