On December 31st, 2025, following the launch of island-wide independent customs operations, the Hainan Free Trade Port marked a strong start for its low-altitude economy as the CarryAll aircraft developed by AutoFlight took off from Mingzhu Island in Haikou City, Hainan province, crossed the Qiongzhou Strait over a distance of 23 kilometers in just nine minutes, and landed safely at Xuwen Port in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province. The flight marked China's first successful real-world verification of cross-Qiongzhou Strait transport by a tonne-class autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Independently developed by AutoFlight, the CarryAll adopts a lift-and-cruise configuration, enabling vertical takeoff and landing like a helicopter while delivering efficient cruise performance comparable to a fixed-wing aircraft. It has a maximum take-off weight of two tonnes, a maximum payload capacity of 400 kilograms, and a range of up to 200 kilometers. The aircraft has obtained a Type Certificate (TC), Production Certificate (PC), and Airworthiness Certificate (AC) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, making it the world's first fully certified tonne-class eVTOL.

Prior to this mission, the CarryAll had accumulated more than 50,000 kilometers of safe flight operations, with reliability verified across multiple scenarios including cross-sea routes, intercity flights, and night flight operations. These data and operational experience laid a solid foundation for the inaugural flight across the Qiongzhou Strait. Despite complex marine weather conditions, the aircraft maintained stable flight throughout the mission, supported by precise navigation and redundant flight control systems, and successfully completed the task.

Leveraging first-mover advantages in low-altitude airspace reforms under the free trade port framework, Hainan is systematically advancing high-value low-altitude applications in logistics, cultural tourism, and emergency response. Logistics across the Qiongzhou Strait enabled by autonomous eVTOL aircraft can reduce transport time from hours to minutes, effectively easing pressure on the traditional ferry service and land transport, and providing efficient logistical support for the island-wide independent customs operations in 2026.

Looking ahead, the five-seater Prosperity eVTOL aircraft, also developed by AutoFlight, will be integrated into cross-strait flight operations. By providing transport links between Haikou and Xuwen, as well as between Haikou and Zhanjiang, it is expected to further improve travel efficiency for passengers to enter and leave the island.

全国首例吨级无人驾驶eVTOL飞越琼州海峡

2025年12月31日，封关后的海南自贸港迎来低空产业“开门红”——峰飞航空“凯瑞鸥”航空器，从海口明珠岛起飞，仅用9分钟横跨23公里琼州海峡，稳稳降落在广东湛江徐闻港，实现全国首例吨级无人驾驶eVTOL航空器跨琼州海峡运输场景验证。

峰飞航空自主研发的凯瑞鸥采用复合翼构型，既能像直升机一样垂直起飞，也可以如固定翼飞机一样高效巡航，最大起飞重量2吨，最大商载400公斤，适用航程200公里。其已获民航局颁发的型号合格证（TC）、生产许可证（PC）与单机适航证（AC），是全球首个“三证齐全”的吨级以上eVTOL机型。

此前，凯瑞鸥累计安全飞行里程已逾5万公里，在跨海、跨城、夜航等多场景进行了可靠性验证，也为本次琼州海峡首飞累积数据与运行基础。此次飞行，面对复杂海洋气象，凯瑞鸥依托精准导航与冗余飞控系统全程姿态平稳，顺利完成飞行任务。

海南依托自贸港低空空域改革先发优势，正在系统推进“低空+物流”“低空+文旅”“低空+应急”三大高价值场景。无人驾驶eVTOL航空器跨海峡物流将运输时效从“小时级”压缩至“分钟级”，有效疏解琼州海峡传统轮渡与陆运压力，为2026年全岛封关运作提供高效物流支撑。

未来，峰飞航空6座载人eVTOL航空器盛世龙，也将接入跨海峡飞行，通过海口到徐闻、海口到湛江的交通接驳，提升进出岛时效。

文 | 记者 严锦程 廖梦君
图 | 受访者提供
翻译 |曾敏
审校 |赵凡