AutoFlight's Carryall Completes First Offshore Platform Cargo Delivery
A ton-class electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, independently developed in China, has completed its first cargo delivery mission to an offshore oil platform, CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corporation) announced on August 3.
The breakthrough not only innovates offshore supply methods but also marks a critical step in China's development of low-altitude logistics applications across sea and land.
The domestically developed two-ton eVTOL aircraft, named Carryall, took off from a landing point in Shenzhen carrying fresh fruits and emergency medical supplies. After a 58-minute flight across maritime zones, it successfully landed on an offshore oil and gas platform located 150 kilometres from the Shenzhen coastline.
Ren Yongyi, Deputy Manager of the Coordination Department at CNOOC's Shenzhen branch, highlighted that compared to traditional transportation methods relying on ships and helicopters, the eVTOL aircraft offers significant advantages in operating costs, response speed, environmental sustainability, comfort, and adaptability to limited landing spaces.
For years, supply deliveries to China's offshore oil platforms have primarily depended on ship transportation, which typically takes 10 hours or more one-way, making it difficult to meet emergency supply and security needs. Helicopters have been used in urgent situations, but their single-flight costs are considerably higher.
The test flight represents a deep integration of innovative aviation technology, mature operational experience, and real offshore operational requirements, according to Ren. It creates a closed-loop application combining "development, operation, and scenario implementation" for low-altitude applications. This achievement enables new breakthroughs in long-distance emergency supply delivery between sea and land, and demonstrates the enormous potential of low-altitude economic technology to empower traditional energy industries.
