This report provides a comprehensive analysis of China's electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft sector as of October 2026, covering certification frameworks, leading manufacturers, technical routes, supply chain dynamics, and global competitiveness.
1. The Regulatory Framework
1.1 Three Aircraft Classes, Three Regimes
Chinese civil aviation law sorts aircraft by whether they carry people, how they generate lift, and how heavy they are. Each class sits under its own certification and operating regime.
The formal position rests on the Civil Aviation Law of the PRC and the Regulations on Flight Administration of General Aviation. Unmanned aircraft have been pulled out of the traditional GA regime entirely and now sit under the Interim Regulations on the Flight Administration of Unmanned Aircraft and CCAR-92 (Civil Unmanned Aircraft Operations Safety Management Rules), with flight below 120 m true height inside designated airspace free of approval.
The shift matters more than the table itself: regulation has moved from managing manned-aircraft safety risk toward managing an airspace that hosts manned aircraft, unmanned aircraft and urban transport at once.
1.2 The Four Certificates
Four certificates decide what may be designed, built, flown and sold. They do not apply to everything that flies — CAAC draws a strict line on weight and intended use.
Types that must hold all four include Boeing 737/777, Airbus A320/A350, the C919 and ARJ21; traditional general aviation aircraft such as the Cessna 172 and Robinson R44, where OC is required only if the aircraft is flown commercially for sightseeing, crop spraying or training (CCAR-91 or CCAR-135); medium and large UAVs above 150 kg, which since the 2024 rules are aligned with manned aircraft in airworthiness management; and eVTOLs, where the requirements are severe because these aircraft carry people or fly over dense cities.
Below 150 kg the position reverses. DJI's Mavic, Phantom and Inspire lines, and almost every agricultural sprayer, need no airworthiness certificate at all — only compliance with national product quality and radio-frequency standards.
1.3 The Powered-Lift Airworthiness Standard
The most consequential regulatory development is CAAC document AC-21-AA-2026-45, the Airworthiness Standards for Powered-Lift Aircraft, issued on 12 February 2026. Its scope is defined by six parameters: MTOW not exceeding 5,700 kg; distributed electric propulsion; the ability to take off and land vertically and cruise as a fixed-wing aircraft; manned operation; no more than nine passenger seats; and an unpressurised cabin.
In practical terms, China's 5-seat-class, tiltrotor and lift-and-cruise manned eVTOLs now have a system-level certification standard rather than aircraft-by-aircraft special conditions. A parallel standard for normal-category unmanned powered-lift aircraft, AC-21-AA-2026-47, followed in April 2026.
This matters because powered-lift aircraft do not fit the inherited framework. Conventional rules cover airplanes (Part 23/25) and rotorcraft (Part 27), and neither accommodates the transition phase — the aerodynamic regime change between vertical flight and horizontal cruise.
1.4 What Is Still Missing
The airworthiness framework is largely settled; the operating framework is not. Rules for large-scale urban flight — route designation, separation standards — remain in pilot phase. New pilot training and commercial operating rules are still being written. Every flight plan still has to be filed with air traffic control and the military. For EH216-S operators, the last regulatory step before selling seats to the public remains outstanding.
2. Where the Technology Comes From
2.1 Four Lineages
China's eVTOL sector did not grow out of one industry. It grew out of four, each contributing a different set of competences — and each carrying a specific blind spot.
IT and command-and-control. EHang's founder studied computer science at Tsinghua from 1992 to 1997, founded EHang Chuangshi Technology in 2005 to build large-scale command and control systems — taking on the dispatch systems for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and the Guangzhou Asian Games, served as CTO of the Beijing 999 Emergency Rescue Center, founded EHang Intelligent in 2014, and listed on Nasdaq in December 2019 as the world's first listed urban air mobility company.
Traditional aviation and established airframe builders. Aerofugia was founded in September 2020 as a brand under Geely Technology Group. On 17 March 2026 it released the "Emei Shan" aero-electric motor and the "Dadu River" aviation power battery in Chengdu, making vertical integration of critical components its differentiator.
Automotive supply chain and consumer electronics. TCab's core team worked on the Airbus A350, A220 and C919 programmes; XPeng AeroHT draws on XPeng's vehicle and three-electric systems to build a mass-producible consumer product; Zero Gravity started in electronics and structural components and funds certification with revenue from an in-house eCTOL line.
Defence establishment and military UAVs. These companies are far less public-facing but their engineering is the deepest in the sector. United Aircraft moved from military unmanned helicopters into civil heavy-lift and eVTOL; Tengdun Technology builds large military and commercial fixed-wing UAVs.
2.2 The Talent Pool
Core technical staff, executives and founders are concentrated in a small number of institutions — the mining grounds for anyone looking for early-stage hard-tech targets or for industrial investment opportunities.
Universities. Whole-aircraft design, aerodynamics and flight control algorithms are close to a monopoly held by a handful: Northwestern Polytechnical University, the cradle of China's military UAVs and chief aircraft designers; Beihang University, exceptional in autonomous driving and flight control; and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the authority in helicopter engineering.
Institutional employers. COMAC is the airliner establishment's training ground — many founder teams and airworthiness directors at TCab, Vertaxi and Zero Gravity worked on the C919 and ARJ21. AVIC and its institutes, particularly the 602 Institute (Helicopter Research and Development Institute, Jingdezhen) and the 611 Institute (Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute), are the technical home base for rotorcraft and large UAVs.
3. The Leading Manufacturers
3.1 Landscape
Eight manufacturers dominate the Chinese eVTOL landscape: EHang with TC/PC/AC/OC complete for the EH216-S; XPeng AeroHT with TC application accepted 2024-03 for its split-body Land Aircraft Carrier; Aerofugia under Geely Technology Group with tiltrotor AE200 in stage 4 compliance verification; AutoFlight with CATL strategic investment and CarryAll TC/PC/AC complete; Volant completing China's first manned transition flight in May 2026; TCab with tiltrotor E20 targeting certification 2027; Vertaxi with E40H TC granted 2025-12-30; and Zero Gravity backed by Hefei state funds.
3.2 Capital, Orders and Capacity
EHang is Nasdaq-listed since 2019 with FY2025 revenue RMB 509.5m and 400+ aircraft delivered, mostly to local state-owned entities. XPeng AeroHT has raised about US$1.0bn cumulative equity with 7,000+ pre-orders including a first Middle East agreement for 600 units. Aerofugia raised about RMB 2.18bn at valuation around RMB 10.0-11.5bn with 1,000+ intent orders. AutoFlight raised about RMB 2.795bn at valuation around RMB 14.5bn with intent plus paid orders above 1,000 aircraft. Volant raised about RMB 4.86bn across 13 rounds at valuation around RMB 7.2bn with 1,900+ intent orders worth more than RMB 47.5bn. TCab at valuation around RMB 5.0-6.0bn signed 350 E20 units under a US$1bn agreement with UAE's Autocraft. Vertaxi completed B+ round September 2026 with 200 intent orders worth more than RMB 2bn. Zero Gravity raised about RMB 1.76bn at valuation around RMB 4.0-5.0bn with 1,000+ intent and an 80-unit purchase order.
3.3 Programme Notes
EHang is the only company to have validated the full chain. In 2025 EHang reported revenue of RMB 509.5m, up 11.7%, with 221 eVTOL aircraft sold and delivered. Q4 set a record 100 units and produced RMB 10.5m of net profit, the first quarterly US GAAP profit, at a 62.1% gross margin. However, Q1 2026 revenue was RMB 25.7m against a RMB 126.4m net loss, with 4 aircraft delivered versus 11 a year earlier. Q2 recovered to RMB 77.9m (+203% QoQ), but the company withdrew its FY2026 revenue guidance of RMB 600m without replacing it.
XPeng AeroHT is the only company to have built the aircraft as a consumer product. Its "Land Aircraft Carrier" splits into a six-wheel range-extended road module and a flight module that folds into the tailgate. Trial production completed on 3 November 2025, five aircraft rolled out in a single day on 5 March 2026, the plant planned for 10,000 units a year. Against roughly US$1.0bn of equity raised, the type certificate application, accepted in March 2024, was still open in March 2026.
AutoFlight is the only company to have run the sequence in reverse: cargo first, certificates first, revenue first. The V2000CG CarryAll took its type certificate in March 2024, production certificate in December 2024 and first airworthiness certificate on 21 July 2025 — the world's first tonne-class eVTOL designed, manufactured and delivered under CAAC airworthiness procedure. What makes AutoFlight unusual is capital structure: two equity rounds only, the second from CATL, which is also the battery supplier for both aircraft.
Volant has the most aggressive order book and the most dependence on local industrial policy. Founded in June 2021, it has raised approximately RMB 4.86bn across 13 rounds, most recently a US$300m Series C in April 2026. On 28 May 2026 the aircraft completed China's first manned transition flight. Capacity runs through the Zigong industrial park — 300 units a year and roughly RMB 7.5bn of output value from 2027-28.
TCab pursues the hardest technical route, a tiltrotor. The E20 carries five people at up to 320 km/h and signed a G-1 agreement with CAAC in December 2024, completing transition flight with its full-scale prototype on 2 December 2025 — making it the only tonne-class manned eVTOL in China to have completed both multi-person flight and transition flight.
4. Development and Commercialisation Status
4.1 The Six Most Advanced Chinese Programmes
EHang EH216-S: Unmanned multirotor; 2 seats; MTOW 620 kg; range 30 km; TC 2023-10; AC 2023-12; PC 2024-04; first operator OC 2025-03. Typical scenarios: scenic tourism, short urban transfers, low-altitude tourism, emergency services.
AutoFlight V2000CG: Unmanned lift-and-cruise composite wing; MTOW 2,000 kg; payload 400 kg; range 200 km; TC 2024-03; PC 2024-12; first tonne-class aircraft with the full CAAC certificate set, delivered 2025-07. Typical scenarios: island logistics, mountain transport, offshore platform resupply, industrial logistics.
AutoFlight V2000EM: Manned lift-and-cruise; 1 pilot + 5 passengers; MTOW 2,400 kg; range 200 km; TC application accepted 2024-04; certification expected 2027. Typical scenarios: intra-urban and metropolitan point-to-point travel, airport transfers, business transport.
Aerofugia AE200-100: Manned tiltrotor; AE200 series 2-6 seats; full-payload range 200 km; cruise 230 km/h; TC application accepted 2022-11; stage 4 compliance verification; company expects certification 2026-27. Typical scenarios: urban short haul, intercity transfers, tourism, emergency rescue.
Volant VE25-100: Manned lift-and-cruise; 1 pilot + 5 passengers; MTOW 2,500 kg; payload 500 kg; range 200-400 km; cruise 235 km/h; TC application accepted 2023-09; first manned transition flight in China 2026-05-28. Typical scenarios: medium-haul business travel, intercity transport, tourism, medical and logistics.
TCab E20: Manned tiltrotor; 1 pilot + 4 passengers; useful load 450 kg; range 200 km; top speed 320 km/h; TC application accepted 2023-10; G-1 2024-12; G-2 2026-04; full CP 2026-06. Typical scenarios: urban air taxi, intercity transport, low-altitude tourism.
4.2 Three Technical Routes
Multirotor (EH216-S): All rotors point upward and control comes from varying speed. The simplest structure, but limited range and speed. Advantages: direct control logic, easy vertical take-off, straightforward short-distance scenario validation. Limitations: cruise efficiency and endurance are constrained, making it unsuitable for longer intercity travel.
Lift-and-cruise (AutoFlight, Volant): Vertical take-off and horizontal cruise use relatively independent propulsion systems, with the wing carrying most of the lift in cruise. Advantages: clean functional separation, balancing vertical capability against cruise efficiency. Challenges: more propulsion units means weight, drag, battery energy and redundancy all need joint optimisation.
Tiltrotor (Aerofugia, TCab): Rotor orientation changes to convert between vertical take-off and fixed-wing cruise. Advantages: the better cruise speed and range, making it the natural fit for longer commercial routes. Challenges: transition involves complex aerodynamics, control algorithms, mechanical reliability and power redundancy, and is the principal certification difficulty.
5. China Versus Overseas Benchmarks
5.1 The Five Overseas Programmes
Joby S4 (USA): Tilt-propeller; six electric propulsion units; 1 pilot + 4 passengers; top speed approximately 322 km/h. FAA certification basis signed 2022; around 75% of stage 4 work complete as of June 2026; first FAA conformity aircraft began TIA-related flight testing 2026-03.
Archer Midnight (USA): Distributed electric propulsion; combined lift and tilting propulsion; 1 pilot + 4 passengers. FAA; completed Phase 3 of its four-stage process in April 2026 and entered Phase 4 formal testing; completed a manned cross-city return flight 2026-09.
Vertical Valo (UK): Tiltrotor; commercial cabin for up to six passengers; upgraded wing, propeller and battery systems. UK CAA / EASA; completed two-way manned transition flight in April 2026; expanded flight testing in August 2026; CDR planned for end-2026 with the TC target moved to 2029.
Eve 100 (Brazil): Lift-and-cruise; eight vertical lift rotors plus aft pusher propellers; pilot-led at entry. ANAC Brazil as principal authority; airworthiness standard published 2024 and updated for comment in July 2026; first partial transition flight completed August 2026.
SkyDrive SD-05 (Japan): Small all-electric multirotor; three-seat design (1 pilot + 2 passengers); compact urban short-haul. JCAB Japan; G-1 certification basis established February 2025; master certification plan agreed March 2026; approved design organisation certification April 2026.
5.2 Where China Actually Stands
The certification lead is real but narrow. Two of the eleven programmes hold a complete certificate set, and the only one with an operating certificate in service is Chinese. But both are narrow cases: EH216-S is a two-seat unmanned multirotor with a 30 km range, and the CarryAll is a cargo aircraft. Every manned five-to-six seat programme in the set is still in certification in China, exactly as Joby, Archer, Vertical, Eve and SkyDrive are.
The regulatory route has arguably moved further. CAAC codified powered-lift standards in February 2026, giving a system-level rule for manned distributed-electric aircraft up to 5,700 kg and nine seats. The FAA's powered-lift SFAR dates from October 2024, and Vertical has moved its certification target to 2029.
On autonomy, China sits in a different category. EH216-S carries passengers with no pilot on board, and the design treats the ground control station and data link as part of the certified aircraft. Every overseas comparator in this set is piloted.
Order books carry a different risk, not less. Chinese orders are large and dominated by local government platforms and state-owned entities — municipal investment companies, provincial low-altitude development platforms, local aviation groups — often with the manufacturing base and the order book in the same municipality.
On export, Chinese manufacturers are already operating in the Middle East, Central Asia and Southeast Asia — Thailand, the UAE, Kazakhstan, Indonesia — in a form the overseas programmes do not yet have. And on capital markets, EHang is already a Nasdaq listing while Aerofugia is the only company in a domestic listing process.
6. Supply Chain
6.1 Electric Propulsion
Two motor technologies dominate. Radial-flux permanent magnet motors have higher engineering maturity, with better reliability and manufacturing experience. Axial-flux motors offer higher torque density and compactness, but thermal management, production consistency and airworthiness verification remain open problems.
Key suppliers include Wolong Electric Drive forming Zhejiang Longfly with Aerofugia; Enpower with small-batch delivery for EH216-S; Tianjin Songzheng / SZ Aviation Power conducting airworthiness work for VE25-100; and AECC Engine and Control Research Institute delivering the AEE25 six-in-one aviation motor to TCab.
6.2 Batteries and Energy Systems
BCG's 2025 China passenger eVTOL white paper names CATL, Farasis Energy and Gotion High-tech as representative battery suppliers. Other notable players include EVE Energy, Electric Power Systems (EP Systems), BAE Systems, and Molicel.
A cell supplier is not a battery system supplier. A mature aviation battery supply chain runs through at least six layers — cell design and manufacture, modules and packs, the battery management system, thermal management and runaway isolation, high-voltage power distribution, and charging and ground support. The competitive barrier in eVTOL is not necessarily the cell maker but the system company capable of completing aviation-grade pack integration, verification and airworthiness compliance.
6.3 Flight Control, Avionics, Navigation and Communications
Key institutions include AVIC Computing Technology Research Institute for airborne computing and flight control computers; AVIC 618 Institute for flight control technology; HemsTec for airborne computing; Zongheng Communication for communications and navigation; BDStar Navigation for GNSS and satellite navigation; and StarNeto for inertial navigation.
A flight control computer and an autonomous driving algorithm are not the same thing. A flight control system has at least five layers: the algorithms that decide how the aircraft flies; the computer that executes them in real time; the sensors supplying speed, position, attitude and environmental data; the actuators controlling rotors, control surfaces and tilt mechanisms; and the redundancy management system that decides, on failure, whether to switch over, degrade or land immediately.
6.4 Aviation-Grade Semiconductors
Chip types critical to eVTOL include CPU/SoC for flight control computers, MCU for motor control and power management, FPGA for sensor fusion and logic control, DSP for motor control and signal processing, SiC MOSFET/IGBT for motor inverters, MEMS IMU for attitude and navigation, and RF chips for GNSS and communications.
Notable companies include Fudan Microelectronics for FPGA and PSoC; Unigroup Guoxin for FPGA and special-purpose integrated circuits; CETC research institutes for FPGA, DSP, communications and analogue chips; and C*Core Technology for embedded processors.
6.5 The Structural Difference
The clearest structural contrast between Chinese and overseas programmes is in the supply chain. Joby and Archer build on incumbent Western aerospace suppliers for avionics, actuation and structures, and on a Western cell market. Chinese programmes have assembled a largely domestic equivalent across electric propulsion, cells, flight control, navigation, composites and chips — with the cost and sovereignty consequences that implies, and with the airworthiness consequence that every supplier relationship has to be re-qualified under CAAC rather than inherited.
That also explains the apparent contradiction in section 6.2. A cell maker is not a system integrator, and a component supplier named in a press release is not an installed, certified product. The binding constraint is the certification of the pack, the controller and the flight control computer — not the availability of the cell.
*Figures reflect publicly available disclosure as of October 2026. Performance parameters are, unless stated otherwise, manufacturer-published design or standard-configuration data rather than independently verified flight test results, and certification stage descriptions reflect each applicant's own disclosure with vocabularies that are not perfectly aligned across programmes.*