Five tons of pure innovation just took to the skies. Chinese developer AutoFlight has done what skeptics thought impossible, successfully demonstrating a full shift flight with their massive Matrix eVTOL. The February 5, 2026 revelation in Kunshan wasn’t just another tech demo. It was history.
First time ever a 5-ton electric aircraft pulled off the vertical-to-cruise-to-vertical landing sequence. Not alone either—its little 2-ton CarryAll cargo buddy tagged along for the show. Cute.
The Matrix isn’t playing around with its specs. We’re talking 5,700kg maximum takeoff weight, 20-meter wingspan, and 17.1 meters from nose to tail.
Its cabin is basically a flying living room—5.25 meters long with nearly 14 cubic meters of space. Passengers get options: standard configuration seats 10, or go fancy with the VIP layout for 6 people (with actual bathrooms, imagine that).
What powers this beast? Up to 20 fifth-generation lift motors in a distributed system. Engine fails? No problem. Two engines fail? Still flying.
The triplane design with six arms makes this possible. It’s overkill, but the good kind.
Range is where Matrix really shows off. The all-electric version targets 250km, decent enough. But the hybrid-electric version? A whopping 1,500km.
That’s like flying from New York to Chicago without stopping. The hybrid setup isn’t just for bragging rights—it enables serious regional passenger service and heavy freight operations.
The design combines a compound wing with a triplane layout that optimizes lift while maintaining stability. The aircraft features sustainable electric propulsion that significantly reduces environmental impact compared to conventional aircraft. This innovation aligns with the broader trend of renewable energy growth reshaping America’s power grid. AutoFlight’s vision is for Matrix to completely reshape eVTOL routes and transform the future of air transportation.
Practical applications? Take your pick. Passenger transport, cargo hauling with 1,500kg capacity, VIP shuttles, or emergency response.
From daily commutes to intercity travel, Matrix covers it all. Urban air mobility just got supersized. No more tiny eVTOLs pretending to be the future. The future is big, and it’s already flying.
References
- https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/autoflight-matrix-evtol-transition-flight
- https://ground.news/article/autoflight-unveils-worlds-first-5-ton-class-evtol-aircraft_ab8aa5
- https://www.eejournal.com/industry_news/autoflight-unveils-worlds-first-5-ton-class-evtol-aircraft/
- https://evtol.news/vertaxi-matrix-1-prototype
- https://evvtoltechnation.com/2026/02/05/autoflight-unveils-matrix-worlds-first-5-ton-class-evtol-achieves-full-transition-flight/
- https://www.suasnews.com/2026/02/autoflight-unveils-worlds-first-5-ton-class-evtol-aircraft/
- https://www.eplaneai.com/news/autoflight-introduces-first-5-ton-evtol-capable-of-carrying-10-passengers
- https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/experience-the-future-of-travel-autoflights-groundbreaking-evtol-aircraft/
- https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202602/1354868.shtml
- https://www.chinaevtolnews.com/p/autoflight-unveils-5-ton-evtol-matrix
