Qifei Aviation
About
About Qifei Aviation
Qifei Aviation, also known as WEFLY, develops electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft in Suzhou, China. Its W280 programme combines a composite airframe with electric propulsion, flight-control software and integrated avionics. The company is developing passenger and cargo configurations for regional transport, including connections between city centres, transport hubs and surrounding communities.
A full-scale W280 prototype completed its first flight in July 2025, beginning a flight-test and engineering-validation programme. Development uses software, hardware and pilot-in-the-loop testing to examine how the aircraft’s propulsion, aerodynamics and control systems work together. Prospective operators have signed purchase-intent agreements for W280-series aircraft, including 105 aircraft across three Greater Bay Area partners. Those agreements support future route and application planning while aircraft development and airworthiness work continue.
Funding
- 2026-10-09 - Strategic financing - Qifei Aviation completes nearly RMB100 million strategic financing
Suzhou Innovation Investment Group led the financing, joined by provincial and district investment funds and returning investors INCE Capital and Linear Capital. - source: m.pedaily.cn
Investors
- INCE Capital - Participant - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-09
- Jiangsu Strategic Emerging Future Angel Fund - Participant - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-09
- Linear Capital - Participant - VC - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-09
- Suzhou Innovation Investment Group - Lead - Unknown - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-09
- Xiangcheng Investment Holding Group - Participant - Unknown - 1 funding event - first seen 2026-10-09
Team
- Pan Xiaojun (潘晓俊) - Founder
Timeline
Events
- 2026-10-09 - Funding - Qifei Aviation completes nearly RMB100 million strategic financing
The capital supports aircraft development, flight testing and airworthiness certification. The W280 passenger aircraft entered type-certification review with China’s civil aviation authority on September 1; certification remains in progress.
Source - 2026-09-01 - Regulatory - Qifei W280 type-certificate application enters CAAC review
The aircraft completed assembly and first flight during 2025. Transition-flight testing was underway in the first half of 2026. Application acceptance precedes certification and commercial operating approval.
Source - 2025-11-27 - Partnership - Qifei signs purchase-intent agreements covering 105 eVTOL aircraft
The counterparties were Zhuhai Kelong General Aviation, Dongguan General Aviation and Shenzhen Telangda Low-altitude Technology. Proposed uses include logistics, medical-sample transport, tourism and emergency support. The agreements cover prospective W 280-series use as airworthiness validation progresses.
Source - 2025-07-14 - Demonstration - Qifei completes the first flight of its full-size W280 eVTOL
The full-size aircraft had completed final assembly in May 2025. The flight moved the programme into flight-test validation ahead of airworthiness certification. INCE Capital’s account describes Qifei’s in-house flight-control, avionics and electric-propulsion integration.
Source
Context
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Context tags
- eVTOL air taxi builder - Peer Group - Qifei / WEFLY develops the W280 electric VTOL aircraft programme for passenger transport. The full-scale prototype first flight and subsequent engineering validation support an…