On December 31, 2025, the Hainan Free Trade Port, after the implementation of customs clearance measures, witnessed a “strong start” in its low-altitude industry. The “Carry gull ” aircraft, independently developed by AutoFlight, took off from Mingzhu Island in Haikou and traversed the 23-kilometer Qiongzhou Strait in just 9 minutes, landing steadily at Xuwen Port in Zhanjiang, Guangdong. This successful flight marked the nation’s first verification of a ton-class unmanned eVTOL aircraft in a cross-strait transportation scenario. The flight was jointly initiated by enterprises including Hainan Holdings, Hainan Airport Group, Hainan Yihang General Aviation, Pengcheng Low Altitude, and AutoFlight. It was the first landmark low-altitude industry event after the customs clearance implementation in the Hainan Free Trade Port, laying the foundation for the subsequent regular operation of low-altitude logistics across the Qiongzhou Strait. The Carry gull features a compound-wing configuration with a maximum takeoff weight of 2 tons, a maximum commercial payload of 400 kilograms, and a range of 200 kilometers. It is the world’s first ton-class eVTOL aircraft to obtain all three required certifications. In the future, AutoFlight’s six-seat passenger eVTOL aircraft, the Shengshi Long, will also be integrated into cross-strait flights, enhancing the efficiency of travel to and from the island.