- Five-eVTOL formation: One 5-ton V5000 and four 2-ton eVTOLs across three aircraft models.
- 47-minute flight: More than 133 km, with the entire formation flying autonomously.
- Advanced coordination: Demonstrated automated flight control and safe separation across different aircraft models and weight classes.
SUZHOU, China, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AutoFlight has successfully completed a world-first formation flight involving five eVTOL aircraft across two weight classes, marking a major milestone in multi-aircraft coordination and electric aviation.
AutoFlight Completes World’s First 5-eVTOL Formation Flight
The demonstrations took place on October 31 and November 1 at AutoFlight’s Bailian Lake Flight Test Base in Kunshan, China. The events invited alumni representatives from the Stanford Executive Program (SEP) at Stanford Graduate School of Business, international eVTOL industry professionals, and AutoFlight customers and partners. Guests also visited Sunship, AutoFlight’s water-based green vertiport on Dianshan Lake, and watched the formation flight from the lakeside. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYNWS1N2Mk0
The formation consisted of one 5-ton V5000 Matrix and four 2-ton eVTOLs, featuring three models: the V5000 Matrix, V2000CG CarryAll cargo eVTOL, and V2000CGF CarryAll firefighting eVTOL. The five-aircraft formation completed a coordinated 47-minute flight, with the lead V5000 covering more than 133 km. The entire flight was conducted autonomously, with no manual intervention.
Despite strong winds on November 1, the formation maintained stable flight and safe horizontal and vertical separation. Coordinating aircraft of different sizes and mission profiles requires precise route planning, flight control, communication, and safety management.
Building on its three-aircraft formation demonstration in May 2026, this latest achievement marks further progress in coordinating multiple eVTOL models and weight classes. It also demonstrates AutoFlight’s growing capabilities in autonomous multi-aircraft operations, laying the technical foundation for future low-altitude transport networks connecting long-haul, regional, and last-mile routes.
As it advances the development of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), AutoFlight is exploring new ways to connect air and sea mobility through eVTOL aircraft and platforms like Sunship, bringing a new vision for connected transportation closer to reality.
