More than a hundred years after powered flight reshaped human mobility, Chinese aviation start-ups are working to bring air travel into everyday life.
Vertaxi, founded in 2021 by an engineer who spent seven years on the C919 program, is showcasing the latest version of its 2-ton M1 electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) at the China International Import Expo. The model completed its first powered test flight in Shanghai in October 2023 and has since entered the Civil Aviation Administration of China’s airworthiness review for its cargo variant, making it one of the earliest domestic eVTOL models to reach this stage.
Vertaxi aims to obtain cargo certification in 2025 and passenger approval in 2027. With a projected 250-kilometer range and a top speed of around 200 km/h, the M1 is positioned as a future “flying taxi” that could make 15-minute cross-city trips possible. The company has expanded from seven people to more than 150, operating five R&D and testing bases across China while supporting overseas work.
Its E40H medium-size drones have already been deployed in emergency missions in Guangdong and during the Dongting Lake breach this summer. Vertaxi expects large-scale eVTOL operations as early as 2027–28, targeting affordability as electric air mobility enters the mainstream.
