Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On December 12, Chinese eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft developer AEROFUGIA officially broke ground on its global headquarters in Chengdu city, the capital of China's Sichuan province, according to a post on the company's WeChat account. This marks a key milestone as the company from critical technology development to scaling production capabilities.
AEROFUGIA, a subsidiary of Geely Technology Group, specializes in vertical take-off and landing aircraft powered by new energy and intelligent driving systems. It firmed up the deal for building its global headquarters in Chengdu this May. The facility will encompass headquarters operations, R&D, and the production of low-altitude mobility aircraft.
Located at the Low-altitude Economy (Aircraft Manufacturing) Industrial Park in the Chengdu Future Science and Technology City, adjacent to the Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, the facility will be built in two phases. The first phase, which is now under construction, spans approximately 30 mu (20,000 square meters) with a planned building area of 26,700 square meters.
Once operational, the facility will enable the mass production of AEROFUGIA's self-developed AE200 aircraft. It is expected to invigorate regional industrial activity by fostering collaboration with upstream and downstream enterprises, facilitating partnerships with research teams, and attracting operational service providers. These efforts will accelerate the clustering of the low-altitude economy in Chengdu and help the city emerge as the low-altitude economy hub in West China.
In terms of intelligent production, the facility pioneers a novel "industrial vertical integration" model in aviation manufacturing, shifting from traditional single-story factories to multi-story production, R&D, and office spaces. This approach enhances space utilization, promotes efficient industrial concentration, and enables vertical integration of the manufacturing process within a single building. It improves land-use efficiency, reduces environmental impact, optimizes supply chain coordination, and cuts logistics and communication costs.
Regarding energy efficiency and environmental protection, the headquarters intends to use energy-efficient building materials, lighting, and a dedicated dust-removal and polishing room that meets national emission standards. Additionally, key equipment is to adopt variable frequency control technology, reducing annual electricity consumption by 1.1 million kWh. The facility will also incorporate photovoltaic panels for partial energy self-sufficiency.
The facility is equipped with the largest-ever autoclave in China's eVTOL production sector, enabling the production of advanced composite components. Precise temperature and pressure controls enhance the density and strength of these parts, ensuring the safety and reliability of critical components like integrated wings, panels, and tail sections for the AE200.
In June this year, AEROFUGIA helped the Chengdu city complete its first urban low-altitude manned flight using helicopters, paving the way for the operational workflows of low-altitude transportation. This milestone lays the foundation for the future commercial deployment of eVTOL aircraft such as the AE200.
