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Chinese Start-up Offers Ultralight Personal eVTOL Aircraft
By: Jennifer Meszaros
Caption: Yivtol was one of several eVTOL aircraft developers at the Aero Asia show 
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Shenzhen Yingwu Intelligent Technologies Co. seeks to carve out a distinct niche in the ultralight segment of the emerging eVTOL aircraft market to exploit demand it says is growing for personal aerial mobility in China. Operating under the brand Yivtol, the start-up secured what it said is the first special flight permit under China’s Chapter O of CCAR-91 rules—similar to the FAA’s Part 103—for its single-seat S-Zero eVTOL model.
While exhibiting at the Aero Asia show in Zhuhai last week, Yivtol reported that in October it finalized insurance arrangements for ultralight customers with China CR Insurance, covering hull, passenger and third-party liability. It said the cover will also allow it to proceed with demonstration and scenic flight operations.
Co-founder Chen Yuan told AIN the S-Zero has now completed what he said are the world’s first wind wall and wind tunnel testing program for an ultralight eVTOL. During recent trials in Shenzhen, the aircraft was exposed to a range of wind conditions—from steady airflow to time-varying gusts simulating real atmospheric turbulence—within controlled wind speeds ranging from Beaufort scale 2 to 7. According to Chen, the tests evaluated the S-Zero’s aerodynamic stability, structural resilience, and flight-control performance, providing critical data to support future flight tests and safe operation across a range of low-altitude environments.
“Passing these tests under realistic wind conditions is a critical step toward certifying the safety and reliability of the S-Zero,” Chen explained. “The data we’ve gathered not only validates our design but also reinforces our commitment to operational safety ahead of public demonstrations and commercial deployment.”
The S-Zero incorporates a folding, four-arm, eight-rotor layout for transport and storage. One-click controls for engine start, takeoff, and landing, along with three flight-control modes, manage operation, while safety systems include a titanium-alloy frame, an airframe airbag, and a parachute. The semi-solid-state battery supports a two-minute quick-swap and integrates a battery management system along with what the company calls “high-security pack encapsulation technology.”
New Generation eVTOL In the Works
Yivtol is already working on a fourth-generation model called the S-One. This retains the S-Zero’s folding, lightweight layout but adds a four-ducted-fan propulsion system and is constructed primarily from carbon fiber to remain under the 116-kilogram (255 pounds) ultralight limit under Chinese regulations. The S-One also offers an autonomous flight-management system capable of handling route planning, obstacle avoidance, and takeoff and landing, while learning the pilot’s preferences over time.
Both of these aircraft share a maximum speed of 70 kilometers per hour (37 knots), a flight duration of 30 minutes, a range of 35 kilometers (19 nm). The payload limit is 100 kilograms (220 pounds).
Yivtol expects low-altitude sports and tourism flights to be among the initial use cases, but believes that eventually the ultralights could play a wider role in urban air mobility, eventually operating from so-called low-altitude hubs. Chen emphasized that finalizing ultralight insurance coverage and ramping up production are key steps in moving from demonstration to broader commercial availability.
The company said that within two months of launching the S-Zero it has secured over 200 orders from clients in the U.S., Argentina, New Zealand, Thailand, the Philippines, the UAE, and Spain. However, it has yet to explain how it will completed the required certification and approval processes in these countries.