VESSEL REVIEW | SunShip – Solar-powered floating heliport to enhance eVTOL aircraft operations
Electric aircraft manufacturer AutoFlight Aviation Technology recently introduced a self-propelled barge that would serve as a floating heliport or “vertiport” for its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
SunShip is notable for being solar-powered, which would enable it to sail up to 5,000 kilometres (3,000 miles). AutoFlight said the system can extend eVTOL infrastructure across vast water areas, addressing key challenges such as difficult site selection, slow deployment, and complex take-off and landing operations.
Suitable for urban operations
The vertiport provides a flexible alternative take-off and landing platform to traditional heliports found in urban areas such as those on tall commercial buildings and repurposed piers. Because the barge can be deployed and relocated as necessary, eVTOLs have the potential to be accommodated in areas where there are inadequate traditional vertiports available.
“AutoFlight’s self-developed vertiport will serve as a mobile aerial hub and intelligent command centre on water,” AutoFlight told Baird Maritime. “It integrates eVTOL landing platforms, photovoltaic energy storage and charging systems, an intelligent dispatch system, and communication facilities, thus enabling rapid deployment across rivers, lakes, and seas.
“Its spacious deck serves as a landing pad covered with solar panels, while the cabin acts as a departure lounge and technical room. The combination will support take-off, landing, and charging for eVTOLs, while also enabling data-sharing and intelligent coordination with the aircraft.”
AutoFlight said the vertiport is compatible with several of its eVTOL models, including a two-ton-class cargo aircraft and a six-seat passenger only model.
“Together, they form an integrated land-sea-air solution that enables rapid point-to-point transportation across a wide range of scenarios.”
Can also support offshore maintenance and emergency response
SunShip is equipped with CATL marine batteries, which have obtained a type approval certificate issued by classification society RINA. The barge is also versatile enough to support eVTOL operations across a diverse range of applications such as air tourism, commuter transport, emergency response, and maintenance of offshore energy infrastructure.
“By combining wide-area search capabilities with rapid eVTOL response, the system reduces reaction time by over 50 per cent, expands search coverage significantly, increases survival rates, and enhances responder safety,” AutoFlight said, explaining how the barge can facilitate search and rescue.
It will also enable rapid air transit within cities, between coastal city clusters, across bay areas, and to islands, reducing travel time significantly.
“For instance, deploying an eVTOL water vertiport on Shanghai’s Huangpu River could facilitate swift, convenient travel from Hongqiao airport to Lujiazui, Shanghai's central business district, without disrupting existing infrastructure.”
For operations supporting activities at offshore oil rigs or wind farms, the solution improves the transport efficiency of personnel and critical spare parts by providing readily available heliport facilities when and where they are needed.
Can be operated in conjunction with other vertiports
AutoFlight added that multiple mobile water vertiports can be rapidly networked within a specific water area to form a high-throughput, distributed vertiport cluster, thus supporting large-scale, multi-mission coordinated operations for broader coverage and smarter applications.
“It enables coastal and waterside cities worldwide to rapidly deploy green aviation infrastructure, transforming rivers, lakes, and coastal zones into hubs for clean, efficient transport,” the company told Baird Maritime.
