- Pre-Series A5 round led by Jinding Capital amid rapid fundraising streak
- Startup bets on Tesla-like “software-defined aircraft” to reshape urban air mobility
Low-altitude aviation startup Blue Vector has secured a new round of funding led by Jinding Capital, accelerating development of core technologies for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft as competition intensifies in China’s emerging urban air mobility sector.
The Hangzhou-based company said on April 10 that it had recently completed a Pre-Series A5 round with participation from CICC Capital and existing investor Highlight Capital, marking its fourth financing round in six months with nearly 200 million yuan ($29 million) raised over the past two months alone.
Proceeds will be directed toward building what Blue Vector describes as the industry’s first software-defined, open electronic and electrical architecture for eVTOL aircraft, alongside high-safety powertrain systems.
The funding will also support development of a full-scale prototype of its Skyla V30 aircraft, preparation for type certification and expansion of its core supply chain.
Founded by aviation veteran Wu Qiong, Blue Vector operates through two subsidiaries — Skyla, focused on eVTOL aircraft, and AirEdge, which develops aviation software systems catering to general aviation players.
Wu, who graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a master’s degree in software engineering and has spent more than two decades in the aerospace sector, previously worked on over 10 national aircraft programs and led development of core avionics systems for China’s C919 passenger jet.
Before entering the eVTOL space, Wu established AirEdge in 2022 to provide software solutions for aerospace clients, building a platform for airworthiness certification and securing customers including units affiliated with COMAC and AVIC, as well as private aviation firms.
The business began generating revenue in 2023, according to the founder.
Blue Vector branched out into eVTOL development in early 2025, launching the Skyla brand to explore opportunities in next-generation urban air transport.
Its approach centers on a “software-defined aircraft” concept, drawing parallels with Tesla’s transformation of the automotive industry through software-centric design.
The company has developed an intelligent integration system built on a decoupled hardware-software architecture, combining cockpit systems with flight control to improve reliability, usability and certification readiness — key challenges for passenger-grade eVTOL aircraft operating in complex urban airspace.
Wu said the goal is to become a system-level disruptor in aviation, arguing that software-defined architecture will be essential for scaling safe and intelligent urban air mobility in a market he sees as worth trillions of yuan.
