AutoFlight’s five-tonne Matrix bets on heavy payloads and regional range to prove the case for electric flight
Updated
February 10, 2026 12:56 PM
A multiroter flying through a blue sky. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
The nascent industry of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has long been defined by a specific set of limitations: small payloads, short distances and a primary focus on urban air taxis. AutoFlight, a Chinese aviation startup, recently moved to shift that narrative by unveiling "Matrix," a five-tonne aircraft that represents a significant leap in scale for electric aviation.
In a demonstration at the company’s flight test center, the Matrix completed a full transition flight—the technically demanding process of switching from vertical lift-off to forward wing-born flight and back to a vertical landing. While small-scale drones and four-seat prototypes have become increasingly common, this marks the first time an electric aircraft of this mass has successfully executed the maneuver.
The sheer scale of the Matrix places it in a different category than the "flying cars" currently being tested for hops over city traffic. With a maximum takeoff weight of 5,700 kilograms (roughly 12,500 pounds), the aircraft has the footprint of a traditional regional turboprop, boasting a 20-meter wingspan. Its size allows for configurations that the industry has previously struggled to accommodate, including a ten-seat business class cabin or a cargo hold capable of carrying 1,500 kilograms of freight.
This increased capacity is more than just a feat of engineering; it is a direct attempt to solve the financial hurdles that have plagued the sector, specifically addressing the skepticism industry analysts have often expressed regarding the economic viability of smaller eVTOLs. These critics frequently cite the high cost of operation relative to the low passenger count as a barrier to entry.
AutoFlight’s founder and CEO, Tian Yu, suggested the Matrix is a direct response to those concerns. “Matrix is not just a rising star in the aviation industry, but also an ambitious disruptor,” Yu stated. “It will eliminate the industry perception that eVTOL = short-haul, low payload and reshape the rules of eVTOL routes. Through economies of scale, it significantly reduces transportation costs per seat-kilometer and per ton-kilometer, thus revolutionizing costs and driving profitability.”
To achieve this, the aircraft utilizes a "lift and cruise" configuration. In simple terms, this means the plane uses one set of dedicated rotors to lift it off the ground like a helicopter, but once it reaches a certain speed, it uses a separate propeller to fly forward like a traditional airplane, allowing the wings to provide the lift. This design is paired with a distinctive "triplane" layout—three layers of wings—and a six-arm structure to keep the massive frame stable.
These features allow the Matrix to serve a variety of roles. For the "low-altitude economy" being promoted by Chinese regulators, the startup is offering a pure electric model with a 250-kilometer range for regional hops, alongside a hybrid-electric version capable of traveling 1,500 kilometers. The latter version, equipped with a forward-opening door to fit standard air freight containers, targets a logistics sector still heavily reliant on carbon-intensive trucking.
However, the road to commercial flight remains a steep one. Despite the successful flight demonstration, AutoFlight faces the same formidable headwinds as its competitors, such as a complex global regulatory landscape and the rigorous demands of airworthiness certification. While the Matrix validates the company's high-power propulsion, moving from a test-center demonstration to a commercial fleet will require years of safety data.
Nevertheless, the debut of the Matrix signals a maturation of the startup’s ambitions. Having previously developed smaller models for autonomous logistics and urban mobility, AutoFlight is now betting that the future of electric flight isn't just in avoiding gridlock, but in hauling the weight of regional commerce. Whether the infrastructure and regulators are ready to accommodate a five-tonne electric disruptor remains the industry's unanswered question.
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A turbine-inspired generator shows how overlooked industrial airflow could quietly become a new source of usable power
Updated
February 3, 2026 11:23 AM
Campus building of Chung-Ang University. PHOTO: CHUNG-ANG UNIVERSITY
Compressed air is used across factories, data centers and industrial plants to move materials, cool systems and power tools. Once it has done that job, the air is usually released — and its remaining energy goes unused.
That everyday waste is what caught the attention of a research team at Chung-Ang University in South Korea. They are investigating how this overlooked airflow can be harnessed to generate electricity instead of disappearing into the background.
Most of the world’s power today comes from systems like turbines, which turn moving fluids into energy or solar cells, which convert sunlight into electricity. The Chung-Ang team has built a device that uses compressed air to generate electricity without relying on traditional blades or sunlight.
At the center of the work is a simple question: what happens when high-pressure air spins through a specially shaped device at very high speed? The answer lies in the air itself. The researchers found that tiny particles naturally present in the air carry an electric charge. When that air moves rapidly across certain surfaces, it can transfer charge without physical contact. This creates electricity through a process known as the “particulate static effect.”
To use that effect, the team designed a generator based on a Tesla turbine. Unlike conventional turbines with blades, a Tesla turbine uses smooth rotating disks and relies on the viscosity of air to create motion. Compressed air enters the device, spins the disks at high speed and triggers charge buildup on specially layered surfaces inside.
What makes this approach different is that the system does not depend on friction between parts rubbing together. Instead, the charge comes from particles in the air interacting with the surfaces as they move past. This reduces wear and allows the generator to operate at very high speeds. And those speeds translate into real output.
In lab tests, the device produced strong electrical power. The researchers also showed that this energy could be used in practical ways. It ran small electronic devices, helped pull moisture from the air and removed dust particles from its surroundings.
The problem this research is addressing is straightforward.
Compressed air is already everywhere in industry, but its leftover energy is usually ignored. This system is designed to capture part of that unused motion and convert it into electricity without adding complex equipment or major safety risks.
Earlier methods of harvesting static electricity from particles showed promise, but they came with dangers. Uncontrolled discharge could cause sparks or even ignition. By using a sealed, turbine-based structure, the Chung-Ang University team offers a safer and more stable way to apply the same physical effect.
As a result, the technology is still in the research stage, but its direction is easy to see. It points toward a future where energy is not only generated in power plants or stored in batteries, but also recovered from everyday industrial processes.