AutoFlight Wins Indonesian Certification for Cargo eVTOL

Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer Shanghai AutoFlight Co. Ltd. has secured its first overseas regulatory certification, with Indonesia granting airworthiness approval for the company’s V2000CG CarryAll cargo drone. The milestone marks the first time an eVTOL aircraft has obtained type certificate validation from a foreign aviation authority.

Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a Validated Type Certificate (VTC) for the V2000CG on June 3, 2026, following an 11-month review process that began in July 2025, as reported by Caixin Global. The certification confirms that the unmanned aircraft meets Indonesian safety standards and clears a key regulatory hurdle for its commercial entry into the Southeast Asian market.

A Breakthrough for Chinese Aviation Exports

The VTC “serves as a core qualification for the global export of aircraft and is often referred to as the ‘international visa’ for the international aviation market,” industry outlet caacnews.com.cn said, as cited by Global Times. In terms of legal validity and airworthiness standards, the VTC is fully equivalent to the type certificate issued by the country of origin and is a prerequisite for foreign aircraft to legally conduct commercial flights and market operations in the importing country.

The V2000CG is a 2-ton-class unmanned cargo eVTOL with a maximum take-off weight of 2,000 kilograms, a cruise speed of 200 kilometers per hour, and a range of 200 kilometers. It can carry a payload of up to 400 kilograms, making it well-suited for inter-island transport of high-value goods including fresh produce, pharmaceuticals, and emergency supplies.

A Track Record of Certification Firsts

AutoFlight, founded in 2016 by Tian Yu in Shanghai, has built an impressive regulatory track record. The V2000CG is the only ton-class eVTOL globally to hold all three major airworthiness certificates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC): a Type Certificate (TC) obtained in March 2024, a Production Certificate (PC) received in December 2024, and an Airworthiness Certificate (AC).

According to China Daily, the company said the approval “establishes an operational foundation for commercial eVTOL services in Southeast Asia and advances our global expansion strategy.”

The validation process involved comparative analysis of airworthiness standards, multiple rounds of technical consultation, comprehensive documentation review, and on-site inspections in China by Indonesian authorities, after which the DGCA confirmed full compliance with Indonesian regulations, as detailed by EVA International.

Strategic Fit for Indonesia’s Archipelagic Geography

Indonesia, with more than 17,000 islands, faces significant logistics challenges. Maritime transport is slow, while conventional air cargo depends on costly runway infrastructure. The V2000CG’s vertical takeoff and landing capability makes it particularly well-suited for inter-island cargo transport without requiring airport infrastructure.

Indonesia has shown openness to Chinese aviation products, having previously granted a VTC to COMAC’s ARJ21/C909 regional jet in 2022 and to Ursa Aeronautical’s HY100 cargo drone in May 2025. This latest certification extends that pattern into the emerging eVTOL sector.

Broader Industry Implications

The certification represents a breakthrough for the global eVTOL industry, which has been seeking to move beyond pilot projects and demonstrations toward commercial operations. AutoFlight is one of several Chinese eVTOL developers pursuing international markets. EHang has partnered with Thailand’s civil aviation authority for an Advanced Air Mobility sandbox program, while AutoFlight itself is seeking EASA certification in Europe.

The company is backed by CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd.), the world’s largest battery manufacturer, which announced a strategic investment of “hundreds of millions of dollars” in AutoFlight in August 2024. This gives AutoFlight access to leading battery technology critical for eVTOL performance and range.

What’s Next

While the VTC clears the aircraft type for use in Indonesia, local operators must still obtain an Operation Certificate before commencing commercial services. The timeline for this next step remains unclear. Indonesia is also still developing regulations for large unmanned aircraft, as noted in the case of the HY100 cargo drone, which initially operated in segregated airspace.

AutoFlight has also rolled out the world’s first 5-ton eVTOL, the V5000 Matrix, in February 2026, and completed a mixed-fleet formation flight combining the V5000 with two V2000-series aircraft in May 2026, signaling the company’s ambitions beyond cargo into larger-scale operations.

The successful certification in Indonesia could serve as a template for AutoFlight’s expansion into other Southeast Asian markets, including Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia, as the company continues to push the boundaries of Chinese aviation technology on the global stage.